Submission: MENTAL

Documentary: MENTAL - The Kenyan School

MENTAL - The Kenyan School, Documentary

Mental - The Kenyan School is a documentary about passion and dedication to sports. It follows the journey of four Brazilian runners training in the Land of Champions, the city of #Iten, in #Kenya. More than portraying an experience, the film investigates the social and cultural contexts that helped transform this small rural village into the mecca of one of the toughest and most competitive sports on the planet. A place that leaves profound marks on those who come to run on its red dirt roads, life lessons that go far beyond running.

Directed by: Pedro Damasio

Country of Origin: Kenya

Country of Filming: Kenya

Submission: IAN

Short: IAN

Submission: Malizians

Series: Malizians

Submission: In God We Trust

Documentary: In God We Trust

In God We Trust, Documentary

In God We Trust is a gripping documentary that chronicles the extraordinary journey of Angel Ilarraza, a professional boxer whose life was shattered by tragedy. After enduring the devastating loss of his daughter and a subsequent career-threatening injury, Angel's faith is put to the ultimate test. However, fueled by his unwavering belief in God and driven by a deep determination, Angel embarks on a remarkable comeback journey. The film follows Angel's emotional and physical struggles as he prepares for a pivotal fight, showcasing his resilience, courage, and unwavering spirit in the face of adversity.

Directed by: Peter Velazquez

Key Cast: Angel Ilarraza

Country of Origin: USA

Submission: The Ultra Pickle Project

Documentary: The Ultra Pickle Project

The Ultra Pickle Project, Documentary

Director Jeff Wilhelm Berg took up the camera to dive into the community of ultra runners in the Midwest, USA. We learn about Superior, a 100-mile trail ultra run - a trail run that takes about 30 hours with no sleep, running through the night.

What are the pickles all about? Runners report having races turned around by pickles and drinking pickle water. But how the magical nutrients work remains a mystery, as it's no one's favorite flavor, just the boost they need.

Directed by: Jeff Wilhelm Berg

Country of Origin: USA

Submission: African Territory

Documentary: African Territory

African Territory, Documentary

A 22-month anthropological expedition on the African continent. Two brothers travel from Spain to South Africa in a former military ambulance from 1985.

The aim is to encourage horizontal human relationships through an unprecedented surf exploration and exchange of cultures in this diverse and endless continent.

The scars of colonies, civil wars and contemporary social inequality, political instability and exploitation of resources make the continent one of the most intense in the world. 

From now on, Africa will set the rules.

Directed by & Key Cast: Joaquin Azulay & Julian Azulay

Country of Origin: Argentina

Submission: Running on Earth’s Roof - the Everest Marathon

Documentary: Running On Earth's Roof

Running on earth’s roof: the Everest Marathon, Documentary

Each year, 200 runners brave the cold, glaciers and trails of Nepal's Khumbu massif to meet at Everest Base Camp (5300m) and take part in the world's highest marathon.

Gabriel, Mathieu and Elyar, 3 childhood friends and office workers from Paris and London, take on the challenge of running and finishing this high-altitude race despite their relative inexperience in trail running.

Directed by: Gabriel du Chalard de Taveau

Key Cast: Mathieu Nohet, Elyar Abiar, Christophe Quilliec

Country of Origin: France

Submission: The Daring Road

Short Film: The Daring Road

The Daring Road, Short Documentary

Ultra-distance cycling champion Nathalie Baillon is embarking on an incredible challenge: to cycle across Europe, from Tarifa in Spain to the North Cape in Norway, to beat the current world record of 16 days, 20 hours and 59 minutes held by Englishman Ian Walker.
Throughout this adventure, we followed Nathalie's progress over the 6300 km and 12 countries she crossed. This film is also an opportunity to discover Nathalie's personality, her dreams, her doubts and the reasons that led her to make a living from her passion...

Directed by: GREGORY BERGER, JULIEN DEL VOLGO

Key Cast: NATHALIE BAILLON

Country of Origin: France

Submission: THE ZOO (Chidiakhana)

Feature Film: THE ZOO (Chidiakhana)

THE ZOO (Chidiakhana), Feature Film

A young Bihari boy, Sooraj with a talent for soccer, arrives with his poor mother to live in Mumbai slums, that is predominantly Marathi. He faces extreme odds from gang members of his new school who would not let him be at peace or play his game for which he has great passion and talent for.

Hounded and cornered, Sooraj fights for his spot under the sun, his place in the Chidiakhana or the Zoo, often literally, as his adversaries appear with animal heads to confront Sooraj. Things start to change for for our underdog protagonist when protection comes from unexpected quarters; a local Marathi gangster comes to their rescue and gives wings to his modest dreams. Chidiakhana is a heartwarming sports drama with a touch of magic realism.

Directed by: MANISH Tiwary

Key Cast: RITVIK SAHORE

Country of Origin: India

Submission: Speed Expeditions

Feature Film: Speed Expeditions

Submission: The Hidden Court

Documentary: The Hidden Court

The Hidden Court, Documentary

The Hidden Court. A heartwarming documentary about a group of 11 men from Northern Westchester, NY who, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when gyms were closed and rims taken off outdoor courts, found a sense of community and camaraderie by playing 'prohibition basketball' on a hidden outdoor court.

The film follows the men as they bond over their love of the game, providing a much-needed escape from the stress and isolation of the pandemic. The film is a time capsule of life during covid, reminding us and future generations of what life was like in the year 2020. Through their stories, the film explores the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.

Directed by: Walter Schlomann

Country of Origin: USA

Submission: 0.5 meters

Documentary: 0.5 meters

0.5 meters, Documentary

Gonzalo wants to be a film director, he dreams of directing comedies. In November 2006 his life stopped in a traffic accident that caused him a spinal cord injury. A few days after he was bedridden, he borrowed a video camera and as self-therapy began to film everything that happened to him, beginning his life 0.5 meters above the ground. When the state terminates his rehabilitation, he returns to his hometown. He has two options: stay put or continue his life in an eternal traveling.

In order not to be alone, he decides to practice wheelchair basketball at the famous club AMFIV, and his story takes a Copernican turn. Discover a new universe for him in this professional sport, a world that has not yet been filmed from the inside.

Directed by: Gonzalo Suárez Garayo

Key cast: Gonzalo Suárez Garayo

Country of Origin: Spain

Submission: The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays

Documentary: The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays

The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays, Documentary

From Award-Winning Director Justin Jarrett and Emmy Award Winner “JB” James Brown (CBS/Showtime), comes The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays. For more than a century, The Penn Relays have defied the odds on their way to becoming one of the longest running sporting events in history. From breaking world records to breaking down barriers, they have helped revolutionize the sport of track and field while playing host to everyone from World Champions to Olympic icons and creating a legacy that will last forever.

Directed by: Justin Jarrett

Country of Origin: USA

Submission: ULTIMATE CITIZENS

Documentary: ULTIMATE CITIZENS

ULTIMATE CITIZENS, Documentary

In ULTIMATE CITIZENS, Jamshid is an Iranian who came to study in 1970’s America, and due to the Revolution, never went “home.” Now a guidance counselor in Seattle Public Schools, Jamshid’s best work takes place out of the building and on a playing field with “his kids,” the children of refugees and immigrants. Their parents are in the grips of their own struggles to make a living and a home in a strange land.

Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic, fiery, funny human with a Frisbee in hand, who is the first to show that "love wins" on the field, off the field, at home with family, or boldly forging a new community, in a new country - one kid, chicken, extreme mile and friend at a time.

Directed by: Francine Strickwerda

Key Cast: Jamshid Khajavi

Country of Origin: USA

Submission: Svaneti - The hidden paradise

Short Film: Svaneti - The hidden paradise

Submission: Home Ocean

Short Film: Home Ocean

Submission: Rebound

Documentary: Rebound

Submissions

Submission: MENTAL

Submission: IAN

Submission: Malizians

Submission: In God We Trust

Submission: The Ultra Pickle Project

Submission: African Territory

Submission: Running on Earth’s Roof - the Everest Marathon

Submission: The Daring Road

Submission: THE ZOO (Chidiakhana)

Submission: Speed Expeditions

Submission: The Hidden Court

Submission: 0.5 meters

Submission: The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays

Submission: ULTIMATE CITIZENS

Submission: Svaneti - The hidden paradise

Submission: Home Ocean

Submission: Rebound