The Olympics In Reel Life — A Festival of Films and Photographs, organised by the Film Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, will showcase rare footage from archival films and photographs in a week-long festival at the NCPA, starting October 1. The fest will then move to Delhi from October 7 to 14.

A moment from Carlos Saura’s iconic film, Marathon, on the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona

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The series is a prelude to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session hosted by India later this month, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, founder-director of the foundation tells us. Having been approached by the Olympic Museum in early February, Dungarpur and his team curated a final list of 33 films.

A behind the scenes moment from Leni Riefenstahl’s documentary, Olympia, on the 1936 Olympics in Munich. Pics Courtesy/International Olympic Committee

“The films have been made by some of the greatest filmmakers of their times. Carlos Saura, Miloš Forman, Kon Ichikawa, John Schlesinger among them. They capture the human drama and marvel of sport,” he remarks.

Milkha Singh (second from left) misses the bronze in the 400m men’s final at the  1960 Olympics in Rome

In addition, the festival has also tied up with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to highlight the achievements of Indians in the Olympic Games by showcasing iconic moments from the Games across 15 locations in the city on the same day.

A moment from La Grande Olimpiade by Romolo Marcellini on the 1960 Olympics in Rome which was nominated for an Academy award

The festival will also host a photography exhibition, Olympism Made Visible, led by the Olympic Museum, featuring the works of acclaimed photographers Dana Lixenberg, Lorenzo Vitturi and Poulomi Basu documenting their works on sports and the human condition around the world.

Harbans Lal Suri competes in the marathon at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo

Lixenberg and Vitturi will also be hosting workshops, shares Dungarpur. For all its cinematic beauty, the festival is a reminder of the greats of the past and might inspire a new generation to future glory.

The Indian delegation celebrates the gold medal after defeating Pakistan in the men’s hockey finals at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo

From: October 2 to 7; 10 am onwards
At: Little Theatre; Godrej Dance Theatre; Open Air Plaza; NCPA, Nariman Point
Log on to: @filmheritagefoundation 
On: Instagram

PV Sindhu at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

Catch the photo exhibition on Indians at the Olympics here

>> Colaba Woods Garden, Colaba
>> Tulsidas Kilachand Garden, Malabar Hill
>> Priyadarshini Park, Napean Sea Road
>> August Kranti Maidan, Gowalia Tank  
>> Maharshi Karve Park, Wadala
>> Muktananda Park, Santacruz West  
>> Rao Saheb Patwardhan Udyan, Khar West
>> Girgaon Chowpatty Viewing Deck, Chowpatty
>> Dadar Chowpatty Viewing Deck, Dadar
>> Bhakti Park Garden, Wadala
>> Garden Plot at Hiranandani Complex, Powai
>> Lala Tulsiram Udyan, Mulund
>> Gen Arunkumar Vaidya Garden, Borivali West
>> Vaikunth Park/Ramesh More Park, Andheri West
>> Krishna Rao Rane Maidan, JVPD, Juhu