Paris 2024: Top 10 Olympic movies and documentaries to watch ahead of Olympic Games

The Paris Olympics 2024 is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11. The 33rd edition edition of the Summer Games will be help in the French capital and 16 other cities in the country.

There have been incredible stories and inspiring tales of Olympians throughout the years, some of which were documented and made into movies for the world to see.

Here’s a list of the top 10 movies to watch ahead of the Paris Games:

One Day in September (1999)

Kevin Macdonald’s harrowing documentary depicts the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The ‘Munich massacre’ was a terrorist attack carried out by eight members of the Palestinian militant organisation- Black September. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

 I, Tonya (2017)

The movie stars Margot Robbie as a disgraced Olympic figure skater, Tonya Harding. Though Harding was the first American woman in history to complete a triple axel in competition, her legacy was defined by her association with the botched attack on her fellow Olympic competitor, Nancy Kerrigan.

Miracle (2004)

Miracle is a movie about the triumph of the USA men’s hockey team over the heavily favoured Soviet Union team at the 1980 Olympics. Set in the Cold War era, the movie is based on Herb Brooks, the player-turned-coach who led the squad of college kids to gold.’

Chariots of Fire (1981)

Hugh Hudson’s Best Picture winner tells the story of British athletes Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, from different faiths, who ran in the 1924 games. Liddell was a Scottish Christian who ran for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who ran to overcome prejudice.

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Race (2016)

Jesse Owens, one of the greatest in Olympic history, was known for his triumphs and the social significance of his performances. The movie is about how he rose above bigotry against the historical backdrop of a racially-divided America and Nazism in Europe. 

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag recounts the story of Milkha “Flying Sikh” Singh, an Olympian and world champion runner. Representing India during the 1960 Summer Olympics, the movie shows how he overcame the massacre of his family, civil war and homelessness to become one of India’s greatest sportspeople.

Dangal (2016)

Dangal recounts the life stories of Geeta and Babita Phogat, who broke through the ‘male-only sport’ barriers of wrestling in India. The Phogat sisters’ path to glory was riddled with overcoming the stubborn resilience of their father, intense training regimes and outside adversity.

Tokyo Olympiad (1965)

Tokyo Olympiad is a 1965 Japanese documentary film about the 1964 Summer Olympics, which gave Japan the chance to show the country’s progress post World War II. The movie focuses more on the atmosphere of the Games and the athletes than on winning and the results. 

16 Days of Glory (1985)

16 Days of Glory documents the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, delving into the participants’ lives. From the opening to closing ceremonies, a unique storytelling style shows a side of the Games not seen by television audiences. Among the athletes it profiles are Mary Lou Retton, Edwin Moses, Carl Lewis and Greg Louganis.

The Stand: How One Gesture Shook the World (2020)

This documentary shows the circumstances that led runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos to stand in silent protest with heads bowed and fists raised during the medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympics. It explores the human rights stand during the important and volatile time for the US Civil Rights Movement.