Cultural Influence of Values Embodied in Sports Films on Rural Revitalization and Social Development

Abstract

The core essence of the rural revitalization strategy lies in the coordinated advancement of material and spiritual civilization. As the soul of rural revitalization, cultural revitalization undertakes the pivotal mission of reshaping local rural ethos, consolidating grassroots consensus, and driving integrated urban-rural development. Carried by competitive narratives, sports films embody diverse value connotations, including perseverance, hard work, collective collaboration, cultural inheritance, equality, and self-improvement. Leveraging the intuitive communication advantages of moving images that reach mass audiences across urban and rural areas, they serve as vital literary and artistic vehicles for disseminating mainstream culture, transforming rural cultural landscapes, and advancing sound social progress. Taking domestic sports films with rural, ethnic, and youth themes as research samples, this paper systematically sorts out the core value system embedded in sports films. It analyzes the internal logic through which they empower rural revitalization from four distinct dimensions: spiritual cultivation, rural civilization, cultural industries, and grassroots governance. Furthermore, it interprets their practical cultural impacts with case studies of films such as Young Black Eagles, Never Say Never, Starlight Kids, and Qiang Huapao (Fighting for the Firecracker). Meanwhile, it identifies existing communication shortcomings in the capacity of sports films to boost rural development and proposes practical pathways, including optimized creation, grassroots-oriented communication, and industrial integration. Ultimately, this research aims to exert the value-leading function of sports films, providing theoretical references for the construction of livable, harmonious villages and the overall upgrading of social culture.