Soccer has indeed made tremendous inroads in the United States, moving beyond the field and into the arts. Filmmakers are beginning to make some incredibly dynamic soccer films. Thankfully, we’ve reached a point in the United States where soccer is now inspiring film festivals solely devoted to the game so at least some of us no longer have to sneak around back alleys to find the films we hear so much about. In the build up to the 2010 World Cup, New York-based soccer cinephiles will have the opportunity to spend their afternoons and or evenings endulging in soccer-inspired films at the following festivals:
- The BAMcinématek Soccer Fever Series, Brooklyn, NY (June 2-8, 2010)
- 2nd Annual Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival, NYC (June 1-5, 2010)
The array of films at both events is impressive, ranging from works focusing on the actions of participants (individual players, officials and teams) to films showing the power of the game to bring about social change and films that simply capture the imagination and entertain. For those lucky enough to be close enough to partake, enjoy! The films featured are as follows:
The BAMcinématek Soccer Fever Series
- Soccer as Never Before (1971)
- The Other Final (2003)
- Maradona, the Golden Kid (Maradona, un gamin en or) (2006); French with English subtitles
- DOUBLE FEATURE: Fahrenheit 2010 (2009) + Between the Cup and the Election (2008); French with English subtitles
- France, Here We Come! (Frankreich, wir kommen) (1999); German with English subtitles
- Ladybugs (1992)
- Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle) (2006)
- Goal! World Cup 1966 (1966)
Click here for directions to Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Cinematék.
2nd Annual Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival, NYC
- Fifteen Minutes that Shook the World, (2009)
- Because There Are Things You Never Forget, (2008); Italian with English subtitles
- Loucos de Futebol (Beyond Soccer); Portuguese with English subtitles
- The Last Yugoslavian Football Team, Serbian and Croatian with English subtitles
- Ana’s Playground
- El Arbitro (The Ref) (2008) Spanish with English subtitles
- L’Arbitro (The Referee) (2009); Italian with English subtitles
- Eine Andere Liga (Another League) (2005); German with English subtitles
- The Game of Their Lives (2002); English and Korean with English subtitles
- Africa 10 (In Production 2010)
Click here for directions to Tribeca Cinemas where the 2nd annual Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival will be held.
