Team FC
A girl being forced to choose between her family and her ambition is hardly a novel idea, but when the family is British-Punjabi and the girl's ambition is to be a footballer, the setup feels new.
In a crisp two hours, the film tells us how the belligerent daughter of a rice farmer in Manipur became a five-time world champion. It's a story of grit, passion and, as Mary's coach says, "hamesha whole surrender to boxing".
While this tightly-cut Tamil film does involve narratives of romance, as with a typical entertainer, it strikes a balance and steers to its focus — boxing, thus making this a winning sports drama.
This fitness-focused dramedy is an inspiring journey of a party-loving woman who goes from guzzling drinks she wouldn't remember about the next day to preparing for the New York City Marathon.
The film has clear-eyed intentions: through broad-strokes storytelling it tells you to follow your passion and break free of the shackles of patriarchy, through the medium of skateboarding.
The most striking part of Ghoomer is the staging of Anina’s accident. She’s a rising cricket star and then in one night, her dream is shattered. Anina's journey from right-handed bowling to left-hand bowling is a tragic miracle.
Yes, this is about sports (swimming), but no, it’s not full of the usual cliches that characterise the genre. Diana Nyad has had one life-long dream: to traverse the open waters from Cuba to Florida as a swimmer. This is a true story that will move you.