If you're a soccer fan — which of course you are — then you know that soccer movies are awesome. Unfortunately, you also know that the number of soccer films in Hollywood are too few and far between, whether it's the inspriing "Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story," the upcoming "American Pharaoh," story of Egyptian national team coach Bob Bradley, or "Kei," the story of Kei Kamara.
The common theme you'll notice in each of those American soccer-related films is the non-Holloywood, independent film companies responsible for their creations. Typically, you can show a soccer fan a good soccer movie trailer and you'll hear in response, "I can't wait to see that."
The 2013 Kicking + Screening Soccer Film Festival is loaded with films just like that. Below are the trailers for the four films in the lineup for the fifth annual festival in New York:
Les Rebelles du Foot (Football Rebels), dir. by Gilles Perez and Gilles Rof -- At a time when business seems to be corrupting our relationship with sport, the indomitable Éric Cantona introduces us to five footballers who’ve managed to resist: Mekloufi, Sócrates, Pasic, Caszely, and Drogba. [K+S]
Mundial. The Highest Stakes, dir. by Michał Bielawski -- The untold story of Poland's incredible 3rd-place finish at the 1982 World Cup, at a time when their nation was under martial law. [K+S]
3 Millones, dir. by Jaime Roos and Yamandu Roos -- A joyous documentary about the iconic Uruguayan musician Jaime Roos and his son, Yamandu, who reunite to embark on a "relentless journey" to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with the Uruguayan national team. [K+S]
Tim Cahill: The Unseen Journey, dir. by Steven Sander -- Before he joined the New York Red Bulls, Tim Cahill was the centerpiece of the Australian national team. This documentary reveals his layered personality, a mystical heritage, and the life he leads ahead of what he knows will be the biggest moment of his career: the World Cup. [K+S]
