A Tribute to the Track, the Pitch, and the Silver Screen: Finalists of the 2nd Istanbul International Sports Film Festival

From the dim boxing gyms of London to the disciplined training arenas of Berlin, and from there to the passionate fan chants that spill onto every street in Istanbul… Sport is not merely competition recorded on scoreboards; it is a collection of human stories waiting to be told, hidden within every drop of sweat. Here at No-26, we love works that fuse this most dynamic layer of life with the aesthetics of cinema. This week in the Boiler Room, the heat is rising not only from the machines but from the warmth of struggles reflected on screen. After making waves last year by bringing sport and cinema together under one roof, the Istanbul International Sports Film Festival (ISFF) is raising the bar even higher in its second edition. Led by documentary filmmaker Gökçe Kaan Demirkıran, the festival is preparing to turn Istanbul into a sports-cinema stage from March 26–29, 2026, and the much-anticipated finalists have finally been announced. So, what are the stories that will change the atmosphere on this floor?

Sweat and Aesthetics in the Boiler Room: The Power of Short Films

On this floor of our building—the Boiler Room—the short film selection that proves sport is far more than a display of physical strength takes center stage. The ISFF 2026 Fiction Short Film competition wanders along that fine line where sport stretches from individual identity to collective resistance.

Standouts include the Canadian production “A Good Day Will Come,” which tells the silent scream of a wrestler under political pressure; “The Fight” from the UK, focusing on the courage of a young woman trying to carve out a place in London’s gray, masculine boxing gyms; and the Philippines-made “G!,” which examines the modern stadium of computer screens through the world of esports. These films show that the struggle on the field is ultimately an effort to “exist.”

Highlights from the Short Film Selection:

• Breaking the Tide (USA): A family drama amid the waves of Hawaii.
• Inundation (Netherlands): A story of reconciliation with water after war trauma.
• The Champion’s Mural (Italy): Naples’ heart beating with Maradona and the hope of the young.
• Untouchable (USA): The psychological tension created by the ambition for success in fencing.

Documentary Selection: Reality in Its Purest Form

On the documentary side, sport’s transformative power appears with a vision that transcends geographical borders. The Turkish production “Abstract,” which examines Istanbul’s chaotic yet captivating fan culture through an artificial intelligence lens, questions the sense of belonging and offers us a perspective that feels both deeply familiar and strikingly new.

We will follow the breaking of taboos in women’s football in Kyrgyzstan with “Kickoff,” and the hopeful journey of a football team made up of individuals with mental health challenges in the Italy-Senegal co-production “The Madmen Coach.” Stretching from the surf waves of Brazil to the gymnastics halls of Uruguay, this selection consists of masterpieces dedicated to sport’s barrier-breaking, unifying spirit.

March 26–29: A Festival Marathon in Istanbul

ISFF is not just a series of film screenings; it is a platform where we rethink sport’s memory, struggle, and identity. Screenings and talks spread across various venues in Istanbul during the last days of March will infuse the city with sport’s healing energy.

A note from the No-26 editorial desk: Sports films are cinema only as long as they tell not just the winners, but those who fall and rise again, those who refuse to give up, and those who write their own stories on the field. Don’t forget to mark your calendars to join this new energy on our building’s floor—to smell the pitch inside a cinema hall.

Note to Apartment Residents: All details of the festival program and session information can be found at www.isff.com.tr. The heat rising in the Boiler Room will reach its peak at the end of March!