Film Club

For decades, women’s sport struggled to find space on the big screen. When female athletes did appear, they were often supporting characters, love interests or vehicles for someone else’s story. That’s changing. From football pitches and Pacific waves to boxing rings, open water and even the surprisingly competitive world of hobby horsing, these films prove some of sport’s best stories have women firmly at their centre.

Young Woman and the Sea (2024, Walt Disney Pictures)

Daisy Ridley stars as Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, in this beautifully shot biopic from director Joachim Rønning. Based on Glenn Stout’s bestselling book, it tells the story of an athlete who broke records and barriers in equal measure, yet somehow remains far less well known than she should be. Inspiring without ever feeling overly sentimental, it’s one of the strongest sports films released in recent years.

Blue Crush (2002, Universal Pictures)

Long before surfing became an Instagram aesthetic, Blue Crush showed just how unforgiving Hawaii’s North Shore really is. Kate Bosworth stars as Anne Marie, a talented surfer rebuilding her confidence after a near-fatal wipeout while chasing the legendary Pipeline Masters. Loosely inspired by Susan Orlean’s Life’s Swell, it helped redefine what a female-led sports film could look like. The soundtrack is peak 2000s, the surfing is spectacular, and it still makes us want to book a flight to Oahu.

Copa 71 (2023, Dogwoof)

If you’ve never heard of the unofficial Women’s World Cup held in Mexico in 1971, you’re not alone, and that’s exactly why this documentary matters. Directed by Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine, it pieces together one of football’s greatest forgotten stories through extraordinary archive footage and interviews with the players who lived it. Produced by Venus and Serena Williams’ company alongside Alex Morgan’s TOGETHXR, it’s essential viewing for anyone who thinks the rise of women’s football only began recently.

Whip It (2009, Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut drops us into the wonderfully chaotic world of roller derby. Elliot Page stars as Bliss, a teenager desperate to escape beauty pageants and small-town expectations who instead discovers a sport built on speed, bruises and brilliant camaraderie. With Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis and Barrymore herself rounding out the cast, it’s funny, rebellious and full of heart. Even if you know nothing about roller derby, you’ll wish there was a local team to support by the end.

The Fire Inside (2024, Amazon MGM Studios)

Directed by Rachel Morrison and written by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins, The Fire Inside tells the remarkable true story of boxing great Claressa Shields. Ryan Destiny shines as Shields, charting her rise from Flint, Michigan, to becoming the first American boxer, male or female, to win consecutive Olympic gold medals. It’s a film about talent, determination and the uncomfortable reality that even becoming the best in the world doesn’t always bring the recognition, or financial reward, it deserves.

Bend It Like Beckham (2002, Fox Searchlight Pictures)

There aren’t many films that can genuinely claim to have changed culture, but Bend It Like Beckham comes close. Directed by Gurinder Chadha and starring Parminder Nagra alongside Keira Knightley, it follows Jess Bhamra as she balances family expectations with dreams of playing football professionally. Released long before sold-out stadiums and record-breaking viewing figures, it inspired a generation of girls to believe football could belong to them too.

The Deepest Breath (2023, Netflix)

Sport rarely looks this beautiful. Laura McGann’s award-winning documentary follows world champion freediver Alessia Zecchini and Irish safety diver Stephen Keenan as they push the limits of human endurance beneath the surface of the ocean. It’s equal parts sports documentary, love story and psychological thriller, asking what drives people to risk everything in pursuit of perfection. Visually stunning and quietly devastating, it’s one of the finest sports documentaries of the past decade.

Horse Girls (2025, Sony Pictures Classics)

A future classic, Horse Girls explores the wonderfully niche world of hobby horsing through the eyes of a socially awkward teenager searching for belonging. Directed by Lauren Meyering, it’s a funny and unexpectedly moving look at a sport that is so often dismissed, despite the athleticism and dedication it demands. If there’s one film on this list that proves every sport deserves to be taken seriously, it’s probably this one.