by Margherita Fontana, Johnny Shock, Roberto Modenesi
In this year of the Olympics Games in Italy, Concorto Film Festival is turning its attention to sport for the first time, driven by the belief that this phenomenon is leaving an increasingly profound mark on contemporary life, across political, social and individual spheres.
Sport is competition and the spectacle of great events, but it is also a space for social connection and inclusion, an opportunity for comebacks, a setting where identities are shaped. Sport uses a universal language (respect, discipline, sacrifice) making it a medium for dialogue between many. Alongside elite athletes and sport professionals (who more or less consciously influence the attitudes and behaviour of their fans) the number of people engaging in sport for relaxation and mental well-being continues to rise. Then there is also the fanbase, often more fiercely loyal to their team’s banner than to any ideology, with their rituals, their shared emotions, and, unfortunately, their violence as well. Sport has also a political dimension, which today more than ever serves as an effective tool of soft power: through symbols, athletes, and rituals, it contributes to shaping imaginaries, reinforcing a sense of belonging, and conveying messages.
All this represents an extraordinary field of exploration for short films: our aim is to bring the audience’s attention to the very best of international filmmaking that captures the various aspects of sport in an original way.
Films featured in Play-Off:
Corps à Corps, Nikki Kobrick, USA, 2025, fiction, 8′
Corre, Adela (Run, Adela), Alba Pino, Spain, 2025, fiction, 8′
Dwutakt (A Layup), Olga Papacz, Poland, 2025, documentary, 15′
La Voix Du Stade (Voice of The Arena), Alexandre Tarek Bougja, Ahmed Dendane, Morocco, 2025, fiction/documentary, 3′
L’Arbitro, Paolo Zucca, Italy, 2009, fiction, 15′
Les Patins (The Skates), Halima Ouardiri, Canada, 2023, fiction, 13′
Restricted, Tamer Shawamra, Palestina, 2025, fiction, 7′
Smerteterskel (Warrior Heart), Marianne Ulrichsen, Norway, 2025, fiction, 11′
The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, Riccardo Raspa, Camerun, Italy, 2025, documentary, 18′