With the World Cup in mind, the second edition of the Beausoleil Côte d’Azur Sport Film Festival gave a prominent place to rugby. Organized by the CDOS06 with the support of the city of Beausoleil, this festival is an opportunity to share experiences through film culture.
Previously held in Nice, the Beausoleil Côte d’Azur Sport Film Festival was created under the aegis of the International Federation of Sports Cinema and Television, which brings together about twenty events worldwide.
For three days, sport and cinema are highlighted through the screening of films about the world of sport, leading to debates. This year, the 2009 film directed by Clint Eastwood “Invictus” was in the spotlight to match the rugby theme. A sport that will animate September in France on the occasion of the World Cup, with some matches taking place in Nice. After the screening, a debate was hosted by journalist Jean-Philippe Lustick, who was awarded last year for his documentary titled “Beyond the Medals.”
Discussing Disability
The next morning was dedicated to the children of Beausoleil with the screening of the film “Born to Ride” in the presence of the film’s actor, Sébastien Bichon, a bronze medalist at the Sydney Paralympic Games in cycling. Having lost a leg at the age of 4, he has achieved extraordinary sporting challenges, such as covering 1,200 km in less than 120 hours across France on routes with an elevation gain that would make some professionals envious.
This was followed by a second evening of screening focused on rugby with the screening of the film “Soul Sisters” recounting the journey of the French women’s rugby union team during the last World Cup in New Zealand. Several local personalities from the rugby world attended.
As is tradition, the festival concluded with the traditional awards ceremony, which honored 10 films (including three honorary awards) across different categories. This year, the 392 films in competition were judged by a jury of sports professionals chaired by Bernard Maccario. Seven of them were recognized by attending personalities such as Philippe Manassero (CDOS06 president), Eric Tanguy (president of the French Volleyball Federation), Professor Ascani from the International Federation of Sports Cinema, Gérard Spinelli (mayor of Beausoleil), and the patrons of this edition, Aubin Hueber (23 caps for the French rugby team) and Fanny Horta (silver medalist at the 2020 Olympics with the French rugby sevens team).
