Film still of Chariots of Fire © RR
Chariots of Fire: Olympic medallists at the Cinéma de la Plage
For the screening of Hugh Hudson’s Chariots of Fire at the Cinéma de la Plage, the Festival welcomes the team behind the Paris 2024 Olympic Games bid. Participants include kayaker Tony Estanguet (Co-president of Paris 2024) and the French Minister of Sports, Laura Flessel.
The Music
Mention Chariots of Fire and, for many, it's the soaring synthesisers of Vangelis’s famous 1981 soundtrack that immediately come to mind. The score, awarded the Oscar for Best Original Music Score in 1982, sets the scene for the iconic race between athletes on the beach, dressed in 1920s jerseys.
Sporting values
Chariots of Fire is a film adaptation of the lives of two British athletes, both determined to claim victory in the 100-metre race at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Against a backdrop of anti-Semitism, Harold Abrahams strives to overcome the prejudices of the time to go head to head with the "Flying Scotsman", Eric Liddell.
The Olympic Games
The film had an impact on thousands of film enthusiasts and athletes, winning a total of four Oscars, including Best Picture. Its soundtrack is used at the opening ceremonies of many sporting events, including the London 2012 Olympics, in typical British style, with the unique tongue-in-cheek interpretation by Mr Bean.
