CSFF 2021

CSFF 2021

May 14-16, 2021
ALL-DIGITAL Festival

Canadian Sport film Festival

Undaunted by the pandemic, CSFF presented the 13th annual Canadian Sport Film Festival virtually from May 14-16, 2021. Festival films were screened online via digital TIFF Lightbox to audiences across Canada, from coast to coast to coast.

CSFF 2021 shone the spotlight on rowing with the Canadian Premiere of our feature ‘A Most Beautiful Thing‘ and two short films about rowing.

Discover our 2021 festival films including trailers and bonus content:

A Most Beautiful Thing (feature) – Canadian Premiere
Boys from the Back of Beyond (short)
Rowing the River (short)
plus CSFF Q&A sessions with the film’s star and special guests

Thanks to our generous sponsors and partners for making CSFF 2021 possible.

Check out news stories for more on our 2021 sponsors and partners.

A Most Beautiful Thing

Canadian Premiere

‘A Most Beautiful Thing‘ chronicles the first African American public high school rowing team in the US, made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs from the West Side of Chicago.

Based on the memoir of team captain Arshay Cooper, and narrated by award-winning artist Common, this film explores the trauma of violence and cyclical poverty and examines how these young men were able to support each other in reimagining a different future for themselves.

After 20 years in the boat, the men reunite to celebrate the team’s founding and race together one more time.

“Stay strong. Be true. Go the distance.”

2020, Documentary, United States
95 minutes

Director: Mary Mazzio 50 Eggs Films

CSFF 2021 Festival Feature

Screening Sponsor

Boys from the Back of Beyond

CSFF 2021 Festival Short

They say it takes a village to raise a child. But it takes an extraordinary village to raise a pair of Olympians. Meet the O’Donovan brothers, who catapulted to international fame after winning Silver in Rio 2016, and the endearing residents of the town of Skibbereen.

2018, Documentary, United Kingdom & Ireland
14 minutes

Directors: Johnny Madderson & Jono Stevens

Part of the Red Bull docu-series The Way of the Wildcard
Learn more about the Boys from the Back of Beyond:
Director’s Notes | Short of the Week

Rowing the River

CSFF 2021 Festival Short

In a loving dedication to her late father, Wendy shares the beauty and elegance of the sport of rowing as this crew of ordinary women enjoy some fun and exercise on a midsummer row.

2017, Documentary, Canada
2 minutes

Director: Empty Cup Media