#HIFF2013: Focus On Sports

Covering everything from cycling to tennis to golf, these HIFF selections are must-sees for sports-lovers:

Acclaimed documentarian Alex Gibney (ENRON: The Smartest Guys in the Room) masterfully pieces together raw, unseen footage and interviews from the 2009 Tour de France, documenting Armstrong’s post-cancer return to cycling and the deafening controversy surrounding his current cultural status as both a shamed athlete and role model.

Debut director Josh Greenbaum turns his lens on eight young golfers, ages seven and eight, who descend on the World Championship of Junior Golf––including Anna Kournikova’s younger brother Allan, and Amari “Tigress” Avery, who shares a birthday, hometown, and ethnic background with one Tiger Woods.

When Jimmy Connors arrived at the 1991 U.S. Open, the one-time tennis superstar was eight years removed from his last Grand Slam title, ranked 174th in the world, and approaching his 39th birthday. But on the verge of a first-round exit, Connors unexpectedly re-captured his magic, embarking on an extraordinary run than included an epic contest with Aaron Krickstein.

By 1996, the once-dominant New York Islanders were in serious trouble. Lousy performances and poor management were driving away the franchise’s loyal fans. When all seemed lost, John Spano, a charismatic Dallas businessman, swooped in to save the team with a $165 million buyout. Director Kevin Connolly, of HBO’s Entourage, showcases the rise and fall of the team through fantastic archival footage and eye-opening interviews, including the only one Spano has ever given about the Islanders’ deal.