15 Queer Films to Feed Your Olympic Spirit

Over the years, the sports world has often provided a backdrop for queer storytelling. Conflict, dedication, loyalty, triumph & devastation are emotions that have always been at the forefront of the Olympics, and a part of queer journeys as well. With the Olympics in full swing, it's the perfect time to explore queer films that focus on athletes. This week's listicle spotlights 12 films from all over the world that capture the emotion of competition and how it affects queer lives. Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

Honorable Mention: Challengers, Giant Little Ones, Land of Storms, What We Have, Suicide Room, The Last Match, Absent 

The Swimmer (2021)
Sport: Swimming (Israel)
Erez (Omer Perelman Striks) is a talented young swimmer with hopes of going to the Olympics. He joins an elite training camp where he quickly finds his talents overlooked and harshly criticized by coaches and his fellow athletes, despite appearing more talented than his fellow swimmers. Erez embarks on a journey of self-discovery, while fighting his troubled past connected to his homosexuality. When he is finally able to form a bond with a fellow swimmer, Nevo (Asaf Jonas), he misinterprets Nevo's feelings, causing his own emotions to grow even further out of control, threatening his Olympic dream. In the end, Erez must come to terms with himself outside of the pool in order to find peace.

 

Hidden Away (2014)
Sport: Water Polo (Spain)
The drama follows Ibrahim (Adil Koukouh), a 14-year-old Moroccan boy living on the streets in the face of deportation and Rafa (Germán Alcarazu) a promising young water polo player struggling with his sexuality. When Rafa & Ibra bond at the pool, Rafa puts everything on the line to protect Ibra from authorities. As their relationship grows into first love, they face the world around them changing quickly despite attempting to keep their growing affection a secret. Rafa comes to Ibra's defense against the racism and bullying from the teens around them, as they find their safe space within the pool. But as they come of age, they also must learn that not every challenge can be overcome.

 

Eleven Men Out (2005)
Sport: Soccer (Iceland)
Taking place in a small Icelandic fishing community, the sports comedy follows Ottar (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson), a star player on his local soccer team. When he comes out to his teammates, his family, and the listening press, his world turns upside down. He is put into immediate conflict with his family, including his wife and son, and he finds himself spending more time on the bench than in games. This leads him to quit the team and later join an amateur gay squad. Ottar manages to find new acceptance on the field, despite his new teammates' focus on having fun instead of racking up victories. They stand up against the toxic masculinity of their community and inspire new allies.

 

Geography Club (2013)
Sport: Football (USA)
Based on Brent Hartinger's best-selling novel, the comedic teen drama focuses on Russell (Cameron Deane Stewart), a high school football player struggling with growing feelings for his teammate Kevin (Justin Deeley). Russell finds connections to other students of varying sexualities in the school's Geography Club, which secretly acts as a safe space for them to explore their thoughts and emotions. When Kevin reciprocates Russell's feelings, things get more complicated as they reckon with their relationship and the secret they are keeping from everyone around them. The pressures around them, including Kevin's dedication to football, ultimately put their love in jeopardy.  

 

Guys and Balls (2004)
Sport: Soccer (Germany)
Golden boy Ecki (Maximilian Brückner) finds himself the scapegoat when his soccer team suffers a big loss. After discovering their goalie is gay, Ecki is blamed for the loss and ousted from the team. Looking to get revenge and prove his homosexuality has no effect on his skill, Ecki sets out to recruit other gay men to form a queer team to face off against his former teammates. While he does, his family becomes targets of ridicule in their small town, putting Ecki into conflict with his father as well. Ecki's new team goes through growing pains, but in the end they come together on the field, proving that sportsmanship and teamwork are not limited by sexuality.  

 

In From the Side (2022)
Sport: Rugby (UK)
Mark (Alexander Lincoln) and Warren (Alexander King) are talented rugby players who cross paths in their all-gay rugby club, which boasts both an A and B team. Sparks fly between the two on the B-team, despite Mark's relationship with his boyfriend Richard (Alex Hammond), and Warren's boyfriend John (Peter McPherson) being a power player on the A team. With the two teams already divided and competing for opportunities, the controversial new romance threatens to tear the rugby club apart, putting Mark & Warren into a tough position after Richard learns of the affair. Their dedication to their sport forces them to choose between rugby and their potential new love.

 

Kickoff (2011)
Sport: Soccer (UK)
The comedy follows two amateur soccer teams, and the rookie referee looking to keep order on the field. A newly formed gay team faces their biggest test against an established team, notorious for their violent antics on the field. While the straight-presenting Archer (Ian Sharp) urges his teammates to show their manly side, they become encouraged and inspired by the tale of Justin Fashanu, the first openly gay British footballer. On the other side, their macho rivals begin to question their own masculinity when faced with a gay team. In the end, the gay team openly embraces their queerness and ends up discovering more in common with their opponents than any of them realized was possible.  

 

Tell Me About You (2022)
Sport: Swimming (Mexico)
The coming of age romantic drama finds high school student Chava (Germán Bracco) dealing with a secret admirer, which has him worried given his secret interest in other boys. When his classmate Carlos (Martín Saracho) offers him a ride in the rain, they become friends. They further connect while both competing on the school swim team. This puts them on journeys of self-discovery related to their sexuality and they grow closer in and out of the pool. When they learn that their coach Marco (Hugo Catalán) is gay, they find even more inspiration to embrace their newfound romantic connection through sport, despite the challenges they face from the greater society around them.  

 

The Pass (2016)
Sport: Soccer (UK)
The romantic character drama explores the relationship between Jason (Russell Tovey) and Ade (Arinzé Kene), two young footballers who make a romantic connection while sharing a hotel room on a game trip. On the eve of their first Champions League match, neither can relax as their excitement grows out of control, leading to an unexpected kiss. The time they spend together in that hotel room proves to have a profound effect on both men throughout the rest of Jason's sports career. When they meet again ten years later, Jason's struggles with his closeted sexuality and lost connection reach a boiling point after a decade of fame and failure in a sports world where image is everything.

 

The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000)
Sport: Baseball (USA)
Amateur baseball is a backdrop for exploration of friendship within a gay clique in this romantic comedy. Timothy Olyphant stars as Dennis whose birthday has him wondering if his friends are the best or worst thing to happen to him. Benji (Zach Braff) is hyperfocused on hooking up with gym bros. Drama queen Taylor (Billy Porter) prides himself on his enduring relationship, while actor Cole (Dean Cain) can't help chasing unavailable men. Howie (Matt McGrath) lets his fears hold him back from truly living and Patrick (Ben Weber) hides behind his cynical humor. They all take advice from Jack (John Mahoney), who brings them all together on the field. But when tragedy strikes, their friendships and team are put to the test.

 

Handsome Devil (2016)
Sport: Rugby (Ireland)
Ned (Fionn O'Shea) is an outcast musician at his boarding school which is obsessed with its rugby team. When he gets a roommate in new student Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), the two get off to a rough start as Conor quickly makes waves as the new rugby star. The two eventually form an unlikely friendship, brought together by their closeted teacher Dan (Andrew Scott) who connects them through music. Conor comes to Ned's defense against his bullying teammates, but when Ned begins to sense that he and Conor may also have homosexuality in common, a new conflict develops between them causing Conor to side with his teammates while Dan tries to wrestle Conor's attention away from toxic rugby coach O'Keeffe (Moe Dunford). Ultimately, Ned's coming of age has him making a choice between friendship and rebellion.

 

Beyto (2020)
Sport: Swimming (Switzerland)
Beyto (Burak Ates) is a talented swimmer who seemingly has his entire life figured out. As the only son of a Turkish migrant family, he is expected to takeover the family business to save it from a town scandal and embrace an arranged marriage to his childhood best friend Seher (Ecem Aydin). But his talent in the pool proves to be his escape and his biggest motivator, and when he falls in love with his gay coach Mike (Dimitri Stapfer). Beyto's family drama causes his commitment to competitive swimming to take a back seat, putting his new secret romance in jeopardy. Beyto is forced to ultimately come to terms with his true self and how to reckon that with his family conflicts and love of the water.

 

Mario (2018)
Sport: Soccer (Switzerland)
Mario (Max Hubacher) is a dedicated young soccer player, looking to fulfill his and his father's dreams of becoming an international soccer star. But when his club recruits rising star Leon (Aaron Altaras), Mario finds himself under even more pressure to perform. The competitive spirit between the two players quickly turns romantic. This new development between Mario & Leon puts Mario's athletic aspirations on the line, forcing him to reckon with growing conflict with his father (Jürg Plüss) as Mario is left to decide between his dreams of stardom and a new love. The film spotlights Mario's struggle as a choice that may haunt him, as the film's tagline states: Follow your heart, or play by the rules?

 

The Shiny Shrimps (2019)
Sport: Water Polo (France)
The campy comedy follows disgraced Olympian Matthias (Nicolas Gob), who gets cancelled after making a homophobic statement on live television. Looking to regain his career, he takes the punishment of coaching The Shiny Shrimps, a flamboyant amateur gay water polo team looking to qualify for the international Gay Games. Matthias sets out on his journey of redemption as he forms a bond with the group of queer players, receiving his own inspiration from them as he eventually becomes a part of their competitive family. The lives, struggles and romances among the members of The Shiny Shrimps all get some attention, putting a spotlight on competitive queer athletes in a feel-good comedy.

 

Punch (2022)
Sport: Boxing (New Zealand)
Young Jim (Jordan Oosterhof) is going through intense boxing training at the behest of his father (Tim Roth). His dedication to the sport faces a new challenge when Jim crosses paths with Whetu (Conan Hayes), a gay man living in a shack on the beach, working towards his dream of leaving town to become a musician. Sparks fly between the two, leading to distractions that put Jim into conflict with his father, while Whetu contends with homophobia in their community. Jim comes of age and finds resolution with his aging father, and reckons with his boxing career and his blossoming homosexuality. The sport becomes an analog for Jim & Whetu nagivating the isolation and brutality of their small town, ultimately learning that strength doesn't only come from competition.