The directors admit that it is technically very difficult to make films about sports, especially team sports. And the task of the creators is not only to make the picture spectacular, but also to add emotion and sports excitement.
“Dyldy”, Russia, 2019-2022
Genre: comedy series
Director: Sergey Sentsov, Fyodor Stukov
Main actors: Pavel Derevyanko, Anna Nevskaya, Daria Ursulyak, Tatiana Orlova
Age restrictions: 18+
Mikhail Kovalyov, the head coach of a men’s volleyball club in the capital, is famous for his explosive and unyielding character. He considers himself a real star and is critical of the success of women’s teams. In his opinion, volleyball is not a girl’s business, and only guys can show a spectacular game. Kovalyov’s words cause discontent in the volleyball federation, and he is fired. Unemployed Mikhail is forced to return to his native provincial town, where he is entrusted with the patronage of the local women’s volleyball team.
It is said that the image of Mikhail Kovalyov is partially written off from the honored volleyball coach and head coach of the women’s national team of the USSR Nikolai Vasilyevich Karpol. Under his leadership our national team became Olympic champions twice – in 1980 and 1988.
The creators took a very responsible approach to filming. As a consultant was involved Elena Zarubina – silver medalist at the Olympics-2004. She and coached the actresses before the shooting process. For game scenes on the set invited understudies from student teams.
“Seagulls”, Russia, 2022
Genre: drama series
Director: Anton Sivers
Main actors: Mikhail Porechenkov, Alexandra Bogdanova, Ravshana Kurkova
Age limit: 16+
But the creators of another series about volleyball do not hide the fact that the prototype of the main character was Nikolai Karpol. His image was embodied by Mikhail Porechenkov. In the plot of the main character – coach Maxim Topol – for a fight with the judge disqualified. Topol is not particularly worried, he has long wanted to retire and enjoy a normal life without championships and races for victory.
One day he is offered to lead a women’s volleyball club from Kaliningrad, but Maxim scornfully waves away. His opinion changes when a teenage daughter appears in Topol’s life, whom he has not seen for several years. To get custody, he must officially get a job at the very same women’s volleyball club. Maxim will have to compromise his principles, find a common language with his charges and make them champions.
“Crushing Blow”, South Korea, 2021.
Genre: Drama Series
Director: Kim Jin-young
Main Actors: Song Jae-rim, Hwang Seung-un, Lee Tae-hwan
Age Limit: 16+
A two-season drama about the life of a high school volleyball team and then a college volleyball team. The main character Kang Sae-ra was once a promising volleyball player, but an injury ended her professional career. The girl is put as the coach of the school team. But Kang has a personal grudge against the club’s head player, who once prevented her from winning the President’s Cup.
“Beach Volleyball”, Hong Kong, 2011.
Genre: comedy
Directed by: Tony Tan
Main actors: Jessica Si, Chrissy Chow, Phoenix Chow
Age Limit: 16+
Two beautiful sisters Rachel and Sharon work as waitresses in their uncle’s small restaurant. They spend their free time on the beach playing volleyball. One day the girls’ uncle gets a notice – he has to close his restaurant because a huge housing complex will be built on the beach.
Rachel and Sharon get a chance to defend the family establishment. But to do so, they need to win a local volleyball tournament. The amateur volleyball players are opposed by two sisters, Natalie and Sophie – professional athletes and daughters of the head of a construction corporation.
“All You’ve Got”, USA, 2006
Genre: melodrama
Director: Nima Barnett
Main Actors: Adrienne Bailon, Sarah Wright, Ciara
Age Limit: 16+
Gabby Espinoza’s mother, a top player on the Madonna High School Volleyball Club, died when the girl was very young. Gabby was raised by her firefighter father, who became an example for the girl. As a result of tragedy, he dies while extinguishing a fire at school – coincidentally in the one for which the rivals “Madonnas” – the team “Phantoms”. Participating in the championship and striving to win becomes Gabby’s goal and solace.
“King of the Air. The Return”, Canada, 2003
Genre: family comedy
Director: Mike Southon
Main Actors: Darren J. Birch, Christopher Bishop, Tyler Boissonnault
Age Limit: 0+
“Disney has released an entire series about Hollywood’s most athletic dog, Buddy the golden retriever. The four-legged athlete had a very interesting fate in reality. He led a homeless life on the street until he was picked up by an aspiring actor and screenwriter Kevin DiCicco. To the surprise of the new owner, Buddy showed incredible athletic talents, which would be the envy of a man. Kevin and the dog would throw a ball into a basket on the backyard basketball court. And one day DiCicco decided to record a video and send it to TV.
And already in 1997 the full-length movie “King of the Air” was released, where Buddy becomes a member of the school basketball team. By the way, in order to shoot in the frame looked more spectacular, Kevin smeared the ball with olive oil. Therefore, when the retriever tried to catch the ball, it literally flew off his nose.
In subsequent episodes, the dog played soccer (both European and American) and baseball. “King of the Air. The Return” was the fifth installment of the series about Buddy’s sporting triumphs. This time he gets into the volleyball team. The main character – schoolgirl Andrea – is worried about the move of her best friend to California. Even the appearance of a new neighbor, a handsome guy named Conor, does not please the girl. One day Conor offers the neighbor to take part in a beach volleyball competition, where the main prize is a trip to California. And, therefore, Andrea has a chance to see a close friend again. Naturally, the most valuable player and assistant becomes a miracle dog Buddy.
By the way, Buddy became the father of nine puppies – three of them followed in the footsteps of the famous sportsman parent.
“Season of Miracles”, USA, 2018
Genre: drama
Director: Sean McNamara
Main actors: Helen Hunt, Erin Moriarty, William Hurt
Age limit: 12+
The movie is based on true events. Seventeen-year-old Caroline Found was the star captain of the Iowa City West High School team. The blonde beauty was adored by fans, club colleagues, and classmates. Few people knew that the seemingly cheerful girl was going through a personal drama.
Her mom Elin was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the woman had only weeks to live. But Caroline passed away early. In 2011, while riding her moped, the girl lost control and crashed into a pole. Caroline died on the spot. The grief-stricken team barely found the strength to start competing in the upcoming championship. The dead captain’s best friend, Katie Bresnahan, had long refused to take her place. But there was no choice.
“Our team became almost inseparable from the day of the accident. Every night we were together. We remain best friends to this day. The tragedy made us realize how important we were to each other,” recalls the real-life Katie, who later became the volleyball team’s coach.
Caroline’s father Ernie Found buried his wife Elin two weeks after his daughter’s death. Playing on the team where his daughter once played was a lifesaver for the man. Ernie never missed a single contest.
“Girls with balls”, France, Belgium, 2018
Genre: comedy, horror
Director: Olivier Afonso
Main actors: Dani Verissimo, Denis Lavant, Anne-Solennes Hatté, Manon Azém
Age limit: 18+
A school bus breakdown leaves the girls’ volleyball team stranded in the woods. Cell phone service doesn’t work, there’s not a soul around. Well, almost. A gang of maniacs is operating in the neighborhood and they open the season of bloody hunt for girls. Athletes will have to show what team spirit is all about. And crazy hunters will soon realize that the wrong ones attacked.
“Impact Factor”, USA, 2008
Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Haley Cloke
Main actors: Brian Austin Green, Melissa Keller, Kayla Ewell.
Age Limit: 18+
Pretty Kelly Rice became famous overnight, she won every beach volleyball competition. Photoshoots for magazines, autographs, crowds of fans – Kelly wasn’t ready for such a turnaround. One day she meets a handsome sports journalist Holden. Kelly and Holden have a romance and everything seems to be going well. But the girl notices that with the appearance of the guy in her life, strange and frightening events begin to happen. Soon the heroine realizes that Holden is no reporter, but a crazy fan, the object of whose persecution it was Kelly.
“Women’s Volleyball Team,” China, Hong Kong, 2020
Genre: biographical drama
Director: Peter Chan
Main Actors: Gong Li, Huang Bo, Wu Gang
Age Limit: 16+
A biographical movie about the legendary volleyball player Lan Ping. She became the first person in the history of volleyball to win the Olympics both as a player (in 1984) and as a coach (the Chinese team won the Rio 2016 Olympic Games under her leadership).
Lan has had a tough road proving herself worthy of playing on the national team. For a long time, she had to sit on the bench. The head coach did not see the girl’s potential and, in order to get rid of the persistent volleyball player, gave her an ultimatum – as long as she could not do a squat with a 100-kilogram barbell, she would not see the game. Two years later, Lan Ping led the team to its first gold medal at the World Championships.
“Green Ray”, USA, 2008.
Genre: melodrama
Director: Paul Nikhipali
Main actors: David Charvet, Torrey DeVito, Kristin Cavallari.
Age Limit: 16+
This movie is the directorial debut of producer Paul Nijipali. He is no stranger to sports culture and its underbelly. Paul is a former two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion, and as a member of the UCLA volleyball team, Paul won three national championships and also played for the U.S. National Team.
The main character of the movie Cameron Day is a 30-year-old basketball player who never achieved the desired glory in the professional sports field. Regretting the lost time, Cameron was ready to go to all the trouble, if not to meet the beautiful Mia. The girl plays beach volleyball and persuades Cameron to try his hand at this sport. And the former basketball player gets a chance to realize his dream and become famous.
“Path to Medals”, Japan, USSR, 1980.
Genre: drama
Director: Nikita Orlov, Junya Sato
Main actors: Tatiana Tashkova, Valery Ryzhakov, Inara Gulieva, Anatoly Romashin.
Age limit: 16+
The movie tells about the fate of two volleyball players – Soviet athlete Tanya Karpova and Japanese Megumi Miki. Both are in love with the sport and dream of someday reaching the top step of the podium. Each of the girls has a difficult path to follow and experiences personal and professional tragedies. Megumi loses her parents and is orphaned. The guardianship over her is formalized by the coach of the school team. Because of Tanya’s mistake, the USSR national team loses to Cuba, and the girl in upset feelings decides to quit sports. On the eve of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Tanya and Megumi meet and realize how similar their destinies are. Athletes become not only friends, but also motivators for each other – both find the strength to confidently go to victory.
“Switching gears”, USA, 1990
Genre: melodrama
Director: Peter Israelson
Main actors: C. Thomas Howell, Peter Horton, Courtney Thorne-Smith.
Age Limit: 16+
Monroe, a law school student, comes to California for a part-time job. He has to help his uncle deliver eviction notices to late paying tenants. One of the non-paying tenants turns out to be Zach, a former “King of the Beach” and beach volleyball champion. Instead of evicting Zach, Monroe decides to join him in a tournament with a decent prize fund.
By the way, the comedy starred a whole series of star players in beach volleyball. This is five-time world champion Randy Stoklos (he plays the current “King of the Beach”), who was the first in the history of the sport to earn $ 1 million in prize money. Sinjin Smith is Stoklos’ playing partner and the first volleyball player to win 100 tournaments in a career. Kent Steffes, inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as the greatest beach player of all time. Then there’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Steve Timmons and five-time Manhattan Beach Open champion Michael Dodd.
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