Murderball

An inspirational underdog sports documentary, this Sundance Film Festival prizewinner charts the gladiatorial clashes and Paralympic aspirations of the U.S. quad rugby team, a charismatic gang of athletes in wheelchairs fighting for glory in the adrenaline-pumped, bone-crunching game nicknamed murderball. Achieving a strong visual aesthetic despite their minimal budget, directors Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro shoot the hyperkinetic sports footage with exhilarating close-up intensity. But the film’s main focus is on the big personalities of the players: their mental struggles, backstage rivalries and private challenges—even their sex lives—all covered with a refreshing frankness.