The Fall

"Two women, two lives, one collision course..."

2016 1h 30m EN

🤯

8.5

MASTERPIECE

★8.5TMDB · 10

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The Fall tells the remarkable story of a South African barefoot runner, an American track-and-field prodigy, and the events behind one of the most memorable moments in sporting history – the 1984 LA Olympics. The film charts two journeys, from rural South Africa under apartheid and the rolling hills of Southern California, to the starting line of the women’s 3,000 metres. It uncovers a tale of betrayal and exploitation, of the blurred lines between politics, media and sport, and of the dedication and sacrifice required to compete at the highest level. It’s a story that split governments and divided nations, but at its heart is a tale of two young women who, despite the turmoil in their lives, just wanted to run.

“Two women, two lives, one collision course...”

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Cast

Zola Budd
Herself
Mary Decker
Herself

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Daniel Gordon
Languages: Afrikaans, German, English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 10 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Afrikaans, German, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Daniel Gordon, shot by Michael Timney. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tim Atack. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Matt Wyllie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Zola Budd and Mary Decker carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Daniel Gordon directs. Michael Timney behind the camera. Tim Atack scores. Matt Wyllie cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in Afrikaans, German, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 10 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Afrikaans, German, English.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Daniel Gordon, shot by Michael Timney. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Tim Atack. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Matt Wyllie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Zola Budd and Mary Decker carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Two women, two lives, one collision course...".
10IMDB entry: tt5896674 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
12Classified under 8 themes, including "olympic games", "south africa", "apartheid", "rivalry".