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As well as food and wine, there’s no doubting the French are passionate about their sport.
From following Les Blues to the annual running of international cycling’s greatest annual race across their country each year, fans get out in force to show their support.
As the All Blacks prepare to try and reclaim the World Cup crown in the nation that gave the world such unique talents as Serge Blanco and Philippe Sella, Stuff to Watch has come up with a list of eight great movies focused on French sport, or sporting events in France.
We believe any or all of these will help get you in the mood for the seven-week competition, before it kicks off on September 9 (New Zealand time) with a match between the hosts and the All Blacks at the Stade de France.
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Chariots of Fire and The Triplets of Belleville are among the best movies about French sport, or France-based sporting events.
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Jean Reno and Jean-Marc Barr plays friends and free-diving rivals Enzo and Jacques in The Big Blue.
The Big Blue (iTunes, AroVision, Academy OnDemand, Deluxe AtHome)
Jean Reno, Jean-Marc Barr and Rosanna Arquette star in Luc Besson’s 1988 inspired-by-real-life drama about the rivalry between two childhood friends turned world-renowned free divers.
“This simple tale of love, friendship and the sea lingers in the mind long after the final credits,” wrote Empire magazine’s Ian Nathan.
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On a big screen, with the music turned up, Chariots of Fire is hard to beat for emotional impact.
Chariots of Fire (Disney+)
The 1981 film that gave the world Greek composer Vangelis and reacquainted it with the exploits of British athletes Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell (brilliantly portrayed by Ben Cross and Ian Charleson), Hugh Hudson’s Oscar-winning, dramatic recreation of their involvement in 1924 Paris Olympics is first-class period filmmaking with a, then, modern twist.
On a big screen, with the music turned up, it is hard to beat for emotional impact.
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French horse Jappeloup competed at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics – with very different results.
Jappeloup (iTunes, GooglePlay)
Daniel Auteuil and Guillaume Canet star in this based-on-fact 2013 drama about a little-showjumping-horse-that-could. Seen as being too small, too stubborn and too impetuous, the black Selle Francais came back from a Spinning Rhombus-esque showing at the 1984 Olympics to glory four years later.
Keep an eye out for Mark Todd and Charisma, who were busy dominating the eventing competitions at the time.
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Jo’s Boy is a rare emotional drama focused on rugby.
Jo’s Boy (iTunes)
Philippe Guillard’s rugby drama attracted more than a million viewers in France on its release in 2011.
It’s the tale of a dynasty for whom rugby is more than a religion, it’s an obligation. A celebration of the sport, it also pays more than due deference to Les All Blacks. “Do you know what it’s like in New Zealand? You play rugby or you’re a sheep, ” explains one character.
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Les Miserables might be a drama, but it has a real sense of authenticity about it.
Les Miserables (iTunes, GooglePlay)
While not strictly focused on the sporting event itself, the action in Ladj Ly’s 2019 feature-length adaptation of his 2017 short of the same name is set in the aftermath of France’s win at the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
Based on a real-life occurrence of police violence in October 2008, it focuses on a cop from the provinces who moves to Paris to join the Montfermeil’s Anti-Crime Brigade and quickly learns how the tensions between various groups can quickly boil over.
“It’s rough and observant, stacked with finely etched characters whose sympathies keep shifting along with ours,” wrote Boston Globe’s Ty Burr.
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Sink or Swim is a modern-day version of The Full Monty, with an emphasis on synchronised swimming, rather than stripping.
Sink or Swim (iTunes, GooglePlay)
2018 dramedy inspired by the story of a Swedish team that competed at the 2007 world synchronised swimming championships (a true-life tale that was also the subject of a Rob Brydon-starring British comedy Swimming with Men the same year).
Starring Mathieu Amalric and Virginie Efira, it’s essentially a more modern take on 1997 UK mega-hit The Full Monty, as a group of down-and-out blokes’ lives are transformed via a seemingly unlikely medium.
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The Triplets of Bellevue was nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 2004 Academy Awards.
The Triplets of Bellevue (AroVision)
This Oscar-nominated 2003 animated-adventure sees Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno teaming up with the aged song-and-dance team of the title to try and rescue her cycle-loving grandson when he is kidnapped during the Tour de France.
“A sophisticated, wholly original brand of animated storytelling that manages to be at once deliriously eccentric and deliciously sinister,” wrote Newsday’s Jan Stuart.
Tour De Force is a charming 2013 comedy set around the world’s greatest cycle race.
Tour De Force (Academy OnDemand)
Francois Nouel (Clovis Cornillac) has had a life-long love affair with the Tour de France.
Having once “tickled the pedals himself”, he jumps at the last-minute chance to be the driver for his sports-shop company’s team. There’s just one problem, he’s booked to go on holiday with his wife and teen son.
After a disastrous campaign launch both she and the job disappear, leaving Francois distraught until he comes up with a plan – complete his own Tour on the same course, but a day ahead of the real competitors.
A charming 2013 comedy that also features musings on sponsorship and drug scandals.
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