21 Jan 2022 - Two new Five Rings Films, Picabo and A Brilliant Curling Story, and Original Series highlight awe-inspiring athlete stories in Winter Originals documentaries.
The Olympic Channel unveils its original programming ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, starting on Friday 4 February, which includes insightful stories of winter athletes past and present.
Two new feature-length documentaries from the award-winning Five Rings Film series, Picabo and A Brilliant Curling Story, produced exclusively for the Olympic Channel by Mandalay Sports Media, join a host of inspiring Winter Original documentaries, providing access to the human stories behind Olympic sporting endeavours and creating excitement for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Five Rings Film Series
- Picabo
Picabo, co-directed by Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn and Hollywood legend Frank Marshall (producing credits include the Jason Bourne, Jurassic World and Indiana Jones franchises), is a 90-minute feature documentary illustrating the life and career of iconic Olympic downhill alpine skiing champion Picabo Street (USA) – both an idol and a mentor to Vonn. The film follows Street’s journey to becoming one of the all-time greatest skiers – from an unorthodox childhood to becoming an icon, via recovering from a potentially career-ending injury at the height of competing.
Speaking about the film, three-time Olympic medallist Lindsey Vonn said “Picabo Street is a true sporting pioneer who I’ve looked up to as long as I can remember. I’ve been lucky to be able to call her not only a mentor but a friend. I wanted to pay it forward by documenting her incredible story in Picabo – I hope it will inspire the next generation of winter athletes.”
Picabo will be available exclusively in the US on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock, and in the rest of the world at Olympics.com from Friday 21 January. Watch the trailer here.
- A Brilliant Curling Story
A Brilliant Curling Story revisits an unlikely moment that captured hearts around the world during the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002 – an unbelievable story of five unassuming but fiercely driven Scottish women who overcame the odds to win a historic gold medal for Great Britain.
The feature-length documentary, created in part by executive producer and former The Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson, and directed by Tomas Leach, marks the 20th anniversary of the victory, with a powerful story of strength and togetherness that combines original first-person interviews and historic Olympic footage. Team GB, led by skipper Rhona Martin, unexpectedly took the top spot against a backdrop of challenges, including hospitalisation, to beat the competition’s heavy favourites to bring glory back to their small hometown and their adoring nation.
Available on Olympics.com from Tuesday 1 February. Watch the trailer here.
Original Series
- On Edge
A docu-series produced by Bunim Murray Productions (Keeping Up With The Kardashians) features six of ice dancing’s highest-ranking couples as they prepare for their biggest challenge – qualifying for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Twelve fly-on-the-wall, bite-sized episodes give never seen before access to their day-to-day lives both on and off the ice. Six teams from five competing countries – Canada, France, Spain, the USA and Great Britain - all with the burning ambition to represent their nation on the greatest of sporting stages.
It offers fans around the world a unique insight into the ups and downs, bruises and brilliance experienced on the path to realising the Olympic dream. Streaming now.
- From the Top
Two new winter episodes on From the Top sees Olympic snowboarder Anna Gasser (Austria) and ice skater Nathan Chen (USA) paired with contemporaries from the world of music - Sofia Carson and Hayley Kiyoko. The series, from Elton John’s production company Rocket Sports, explores the lives of top Olympians and musicians through each other’s eyes, teaching and experiencing the others’ craft. Available from 30 January.
- From the Start
From the Start – co–created with Worldwide Olympics Partner Toyota – highlights the journeys of four athletes set to compete at the Games. The four-episode original series telling the stories of short-track speed skating legend Arianna Fontana (Italy), world champion snowboarder Mark McMorris (Canada), Olympic luge silver medallist Chris Mazdzer (USA) and multi-sport Paralympic star Oksana Masters (USA), sees each athlete share the inspirational story of how they reached the pinnacle of their sport, and includes insights from the people who believed in them and helped them along the way. Launch on 26 January.
Commenting on the Winter Originals, Mark Parkman, General Manager of Olympics.com and Olympic Channel Services said; “Ahead of the Olympic Games Beijing 2022, we have created a series of documentaries that tell amazing tales of the human spirit. The jaw-dropping nature of sports played on snow and ice make them thrilling to watch. Combine that with the athletes’ determination, resilience, excellence and solidarity – their personal stories will inspire and excite, and truly highlight what the Olympic Games stand for.”
The Winter Originals are streaming at Olympics.com.
