At Wilma, we love to keep our eyes and ears wide open.
Here we’ve put together a selection of artworks, films, and books that we hope will inspire you, teach you something new, and open up your chakras :)
Boldness, commitment, and freedom—that’s what we offer you…
Enjoy reading, watching, and listening!
Our selection of books about women and sports
Not for girls? Mélissa Plaza
Mélissa Plaza, the former international soccer player, is writing a memoir that traces her journey of resilience through soccer. A journey of fighting against sexism and injustices done to women. For her, soccer became a means of breaking free from an unstable and violent family environment. Although she was constantly told that “soccer isn’t for girls,” she wouldn’t listen. Whenever she could, she trained
Liin: Not for Girls? - Paperback - Mélissa Plaza - Buy Book or E-book | Fnac
Why I Fight, Ronda Rousey
This is the story of a woman who had to fight from a very young age. Strangled by her umbilical cord at birth, Ronda Rousey didn’t speak a word until she was 4 years old. Her father, suffering from an incurable illness, took his own life when she was a child. This is the story of an athlete with extraordinary determination. A world judo silver medalist, she won the first U.S. medal in the sport at the Olympic Games.
Link: Why I Fight (fnac.com)
Olympe's Dream, Reinhard Kleist
The 2008 Beijing Olympics: Samia Yusuf Omar, 17, is representing Somalia. But training has become impossible, as Muslim fundamentalists forbid women from participating in any kind of sports activity. To achieve her dream of competing in the next Games in 2012, Samia goes all out: she embarks on a perilous odyssey to reach Europe. Barely 20 years old, Samia endures the ordeal of immigration: violence from smugglers, trucks overloaded with refugees, hunger, thirst, prison... until her tragic end.
Link: Dream of Olympus - The Fate of Samia Yusuf Omar: Reinhard Kleist - 2849532622 | Cultura
Sexism in Sports, Béatrice Barbusse
Béatrice Barbusse presents a personal, passionate, and well-researched work that examines the deep-rooted nature of sexism in sports and highlights the changes currently underway. This book has become a standard reference and won the Women’s Sport & Literature Award in 2017.
Link: Sexism in Sports (New Edition): Béatrice Barbusse - 2381910387 - Sports Books | Cultura
Our Champions: A Century of Women’s Athletic Achievements, by Jérôme Bergot
This book features 90 profiles of extraordinary French female athletes representing 22 different sports, from the early 20th century to the present day. It highlights the titles, records, and medals they’ve won at the Olympic Games and world championships—achievements that reward their efforts, often under difficult conditions and with meager resources, which were long the norm in the amateur world. Over the years, these exceptional women have gained recognition, and gradually, the doors to new sports have opened for them…
Girl Power: 150 Years of Women’s Soccer, by Hubert Artus
This book traces 150 years of women’s soccer history. From its origins in England in the 19th century to its status as an Olympic and World Cup sport, come and relive the rise of women’s soccer through this masterpiece.
Link: Girl Power: 150 Years of Women's Soccer by Hubert Artus - 9782702184219 -| Cultura
Such a Long Silence, Sarah Abitbol
Figure skater Sarah Abitbol, a multiple French champion, has broken her silence, accusing her coach 19 years later of having raped her on multiple occasions during her teenage years.
Link: Such a Long Silence : Sarah Abitbol | Fnac
On the Move, Stéphanie Giicquel
Come discover the journal of an inspiring and optimistic athlete. Stéphanie Gicquel takes us on a journey spanning over 2,000 kilometers ofrunning, from the trails of the Ultra Marin to the banks of the Canal du Midi, from the track at the French Championships to the World Championships with the French national team, including seven marathons run in seven consecutive days in Antarctica.
Link: On the Move: Stéphanie Gicquel|Fnac.
Being a Woman in a Man's World: Sports Socialization and Gender Construction, by Christine Mennesson
Link: Being a Woman in a Man's World: Sports Socialization and Gender Construction: Christine Mennesson| Fnac
The Best Movies About Women and Sports
Damn Women (documentary series)
Young women between the ages of 19 and 25 play at the highest level of French rugby for the LMRCV in Lille. They share everything: their doubts, their experiences, their hopes, their apartments, their parties… And everything else!
Link:Putain de nanas - Replays and streaming videos - France tv
A Life Against the Grain (documentary)
Swimming in open water to cross seven straits around the world in a single year—that’s the challenge British swimmer Beth French has set for herself. Through this challenge, Beth hopes to prove to her son, who has autism, that dreams can come true.
Do it like Beckham
In a London suburb, a young Indian girl named Jess Bhamra dreams of soccer and her idol, David Beckham. She plays whenever she can with Tony and his friends, much to the dismay of her mother, who wants her to prepare to marry a boy from the Sikh community, just like her sister Pinky. She is spotted by Jules, a young English girl, and joins her girls’ soccer team. While Jules is allowed to play—even though her mother fears it will turn her into a lesbian—Jess is banned from soccer after being seen in shorts. But she doesn’t hesitate to play in secret. Jess and Jules triumph on the field and are recruited for the American professional team. Will Jules’s mother eventually admit that they aren’t lesbians, and will they be allowed to go to the United States to continue playing?
Link: https://www.disneyplus.com/fr-fr/movies/joue-la-comme-beckham/2bxDwtlkPsd2
Ladies First
"Ladies First" is an Indian documentary film. The film chronicles the life and career of Indian archer Deepika Kumari, from her childhood in the impoverished province of Jharkhand, where women have few rights, to her participation in the 2016 Olympic Games. She became the world archery champion at the age of 18. Filming began before the 2016 Olympics and lasted three years. Ladies First was released on Netflix on March 8, 2018, to mark International Women’s Day. It is important to us to help you understand that anything is possible, regardless of the environment in which you live. With your determination and passion, you can achieve your wildest goals and show what you are capable of.
Link: *A Woman First* – Netflix or streaming.
Slalom, Charlène Favier
Lyz, 15, has just joined the ski-study program at the high school in Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Fred, her new coach and a former champion, immediately recognizes her talent and decides to stake everything on her. Under Fred’s guidance, Lyz quickly begins racking up victories, but starts falling under her coach’s absolute control… This film focuses on the psychological dynamics between the two characters.
Grandma Soccer, Clément Boxebeld
Voted Best Documentary at the 2020 Little Wing Film Festival in London, come follow the adventures of soccer-playing grandmas, including two great friends, Martine and Simone.
Battle of the Sexes, James Erskine and Zara Hayes
Link: Battle of the Sexes: James Erskine and Zara Hayes (streaming).
The World of Women's Sports on Podcast
WorldChampion, hosted by Cléo Henin
This is the podcast for badass women in the world of sports. They say we’re world champions… But sports are also about fascinating and inspiring women who all too often work behind the scenes and deserve to be in the spotlight. That’s what we wanted to do with this podcast: introduce you to amazing women who have built their lives, directly or indirectly, through sports.
Link: The Podcast - World Champions
Commuting by bike
What is bike commuting?
How does bike commuting work?
Is bike commuting a sport or a hobby?
Who are the key players in bike commuting?
What is the environmental impact of bike commuting?
These and many other questions are what we’ll be trying to answer in the coming months.
With one episode per month and interviews organized by the NGO 2WT, discover how to use bikes, bicycles, and other two-wheeled vehicles for your daily commute.
