Inspirational Women's History Sports Biopics
by urbanemovies | created - 18 Mar 2017 | updated - 5 months ago | PublicEach March in the USA, we recognize female achievements during Women's History Month. Biographical movies are a great way to educate the public about landmark events in the struggle for gender equality. At the same time, these movies honor and celebrate each woman's achievement with the star power they deserve. Bios Source: Wikipedia.com
Which of these select groundbreaking competitive sportswoman, female athlete or coach* inspires you the most, or alternatively their biopic does? * Competitive Sportswomen, Athletes, Coaches, Etc.
Women's History Month Companion Polls Leader Biopics : Trailblazer Biopics : Humanitarian Biopics : Sports Biopics : Writer Biopics : Singer/Musician Biopics : Visual Artist Biopics : Performance Artist Biopics
Discuss the topic here.
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1. Soul Surfer (2011)
PG | 112 min | Biography, Drama, Family
Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, loses her left arm in a shark attack. Unwilling to pay attention to the gravity of her situation, Bethany decides to get back into the ocean and surf again.
Director: Sean McNamara | Stars: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood
Votes: 52,909 | Gross: $43.85M
Bethany Hamilton: Surfer
2. Queen of Katwe (2016)
PG | 124 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
A Ugandan girl sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess.
Director: Mira Nair | Stars: Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Kabanza
Votes: 18,678 | Gross: $8.81M
Phiona Mutesi: Chess Grandmaster Candidate
3. Battle of the Sexes (2017)
PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.
Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris | Stars: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman
Votes: 59,931 | Gross: $12.64M
Billie Jean King: Tennis
Alternate Biopics: When Billie Beat Bobby (2001), The Battle of the Sexes (2013)
4. Secretariat (2010)
PG | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Family
Penny Chenery Tweedy and colleagues guide her long-shot but precocious stallion to set, in 1973, the unbeaten record for winning the Triple Crown.
Director: Randall Wallace | Stars: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Margo Martindale, Nelsan Ellis
Votes: 30,566 | Gross: $59.71M
Penny Chenery Tweedy: Horse Racing
5. Molly's Game (2017)
R | 140 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.
Director: Aaron Sorkin | Stars: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera
Votes: 187,731 | Gross: $28.78M
Molly Bloom: World-Class Skier and High Stakes Poker Game Owner
6. I, Tonya (2017)
R | 119 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.
Director: Craig Gillespie | Stars: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson
Votes: 242,758 | Gross: $30.01M
Toyna Harding: Figure Skater
7. A League of Their Own (1992)
PG | 128 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
Two sisters join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amid their own growing rivalry.
Director: Penny Marshall | Stars: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna
Votes: 121,057 | Gross: $107.53M
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: Baseball Players *fictionalized Hollywood story inspired by real AAPBL players.
8. Dangal (2016)
Not Rated | 161 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat and his two wrestler daughters struggle towards glory at the Commonwealth Games in the face of societal oppression.
Director: Nitesh Tiwari | Stars: Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra
Votes: 210,744 | Gross: $12.39M
Phogat sisters: Wrestlers *semi-fictional Bollywood story inspired by real life Phogat sisters and events
9. Mary Kom (2014)
Not Rated | 122 min | Action, Biography, Drama
A chronicle of the life of Indian boxer Mary Kom, who went through several hardships before audaciously accomplishing her ultimate dream.
Director: Omung Kumar | Stars: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sunil Thapa, Robin Das, Rajni Basumatary
Votes: 11,403 | Gross: $0.59M
Mary Kom: Boxer
10. Against the Ropes (2004)
PG-13 | 111 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A fictional story inspired by North America's most famous female boxing promoter, Jackie Kallen. Her struggle to survive and succeed in a male dominated sport.
Director: Charles S. Dutton | Stars: Meg Ryan, Omar Epps, Charles S. Dutton, Tony Shalhoub
Votes: 7,439 | Gross: $5.88M
Jackie Kallen: Boxing Promoter *fictionalized Hollywood story inspired by female boxing promoter, Jackie Kallen
11. Gracie (2007)
PG-13 | 95 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
Grace, a football enthusiast, fights an uphill battle to play in the boys' varsity team of her high school and gain support for women's soccer while dealing with the death of her brother.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Carly Schroeder, Andrew Shue, Elisabeth Shue, Jesse Lee Soffer
Votes: 4,328 | Gross: $2.96M
Gracie Bowen: Football aka Soccer Player
12. The Longshots (2008)
PG | 94 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The true story of Jasmine Plummer who, at the age of eleven, became the first female to play in Pop Warner football tournament in its 56-year history.
Director: Fred Durst | Stars: Ice Cube, Keke Palmer, Tasha Smith, Jill Marie Jones
Votes: 4,466 | Gross: $11.51M
Jasmine Plummer: American Football Player
13. Beautiful Boxer (2003)
Unrated | 118 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Biopic of transgender Muay Thai boxer Parinya Charoenphol who pursued the sport to pay for her gender reassignment surgery.
Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham | Stars: Asanee Suwan, Sorapong Chatree, Orn Anong Panyawong, Nukkid Boonthong
Votes: 3,309 | Gross: $0.00M
Parinya Charoenphol: Muay Thai Boxer
14. Double Teamed (2002 TV Movie)
TV-G | 93 min | Biography, Drama, Family
Two sisters become world-famous basketball players.
Director: Duwayne Dunham | Stars: Poppi Monroe, Annie McElwain, Teal Redmann, Nick Searcy
Votes: 3,996
Heidi and Heather Burge: Basketball Players
15. Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
Approved | 115 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
Biopic of Australian swimming champ and entertainer Annette Kellerman. After overcoming polio, Kellerman achieves fame and creates a scandal when her one-piece bathing suit is considered indecent.
Director: Mervyn LeRoy | Stars: Esther Williams, Victor Mature, Walter Pidgeon, David Brian
Votes: 1,791
Annette Kellerman: Swimmer
16. Full Out (2015)
TV-PG | 90 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A young gymnast's Olympic aspirations are crushed after a debilitating accident.
Director: Sean Cisterna | Stars: Ana Golja, Jennifer Beals, Sarah Fisher, Asha Ashanti Bromfield
Votes: 3,017
Ariana Berlin: Gymnast
17. Heart Like a Wheel (1983)
PG | 113 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Shirley Muldowney is determined to be a top-fuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before. Despite the high risks of this kind of racing and the burden it places on her family life, she perseveres in her dream.
Director: Jonathan Kaplan | Stars: Bonnie Bedelia, Beau Bridges, Diane Delano, Ellen Geer
Votes: 1,582 | Gross: $0.27M
Shirley Muldowney: Drag Racer
18. The Other Side of the Mountain (1975)
PG | 102 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Young ski champion Jill Kinmont is left paralyzed after a tragic skiing accident. Her best friend suffers the same fate after contracting polio. Jill must slowly put her life back together again with the help of those close to her.
Director: Larry Peerce | Stars: Marilyn Hassett, Beau Bridges, Belinda Montgomery, Nan Martin
Votes: 1,308 | Gross: $34.67M
Jill Kinmont: Slalom Skier
19. Fighting with My Family (2019)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.
Director: Stephen Merchant | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Lena Headey, Vince Vaughn, Florence Pugh
Votes: 87,575 | Gross: $22.96M
Saraya-Jade “Paige” Bevis: Wresler
20. Sonja: The White Swan (2018)
113 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of Sonja Henie, one of the world's greatest athletes and the inventor of modern figure skating, who decides to go to Hollywood in 1936 to become a movie star.
Director: Anne Sewitsky | Stars: Ine Marie Wilmann, Valene Kane, Eldar Skar, Anders Mordal
Votes: 1,103
Sonja Henie: Ice Figure Skater
21. Ride Like a Girl (2019)
PG | 98 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
The story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
Director: Rachel Griffiths | Stars: Teresa Palmer, Sam Neill, Brooke Satchwell, Anneliese Apps
Votes: 4,677
Michelle Payne: Horse Jockey
22. Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (2019)
TV-PG | 100 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
A courageous teenager is determined to resume competitive rodeo months after her paralyzing spinal cord injury.
Director: Conor Allyn | Stars: Spencer Locke, Missi Pyle, Bailey Chase, Alyvia Alyn Lind
Votes: 2,777
Amberley Snyder: Rodeo Barrel Racer
Added 15 August 2019
23. King Richard (2021)
PG-13 | 144 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
A look at how tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after the coaching from their father Richard.
Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green | Stars: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Saniyya Sidney
Votes: 136,436
Venus William and her sister Serena Williams: World-Class Tennis Players
Added 08 February 2022
24. The Swimmers (2022)
PG-13 | 134 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
From war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two young sisters embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and champion swimming skills to heroic use.
Director: Sally El Hosaini | Stars: Matthias Schweighöfer, Ali Suliman, James Krishna Floyd, Ahmed Malek
Votes: 36,096
Syrian refugees, Yusra Mardini and her sister Sarah Mardini: competive swimmers
Added 30 January 2023
25. True Spirit (2023)
TV-PG | 109 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
The story of Australian teenager, Jessica Watson, the youngest person ever to sail solo nonstop around the world.
Director: Sarah Spillane | Stars: Alyla Browne, Teagan Croft, Cliff Curtis, Josh Lawson
Votes: 10,049
Jessica Watson: Sailor
Note: The youngest person ever to sail solo, non-stop around the world. [* completed at age 16 y.o.a., uncertified record]
Added 05 February 2023
26. Nyad (2023)
PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
The remarkable true story of athlete Diana Nyad who, at the age of 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach, commits to achieving her life-long dream: a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida.
Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi | Stars: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Anne Marie Kempf, Carolyn McCormick
Votes: 36,859
Diana Nyad: Open Water Distance Swimmer
Note: Only person ever to swim the Florida Straits without a shark cage, no rest breaks and no physical contact assistance. [* completed on her 5th attempt from Havana, Cuba to Key West, U.S.A. (110 miles) at age 64 y.o.a., uncertified record]
Added 30 October 2023
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