The International Football Film Festival of Berlin starts on Spring day, March 21st, with its 16th edition. Opening on Thursday with the film Nossa Chape, a documentary about the tragic story of the humble Brazilian team Chapecoense that lost almost all their team members when their plane crashed on their flight to the last match of the Sudamericana’s finals. Depicting a wide range of films about several topics this festival demonstrates that football is, on an artistic level, a perfect vessel to show society around the world.
It’s called fútbol
The International Football Film Festival of Berlin reunites around 70 films from all around the world including Latin America. From a continent that produces so many stars and players, Ronaldinho, Rafa Márquez, Batistuta, Zamorano, Farfán, James Rodríguez, and the list goes on, it makes sense to be screened in such an event.
Latin America lives for football in a different way Europeans and Americans. From the day Latinos are born, they are almost assigned a football team they will defend until the last consequences. But is also a cultural way of living, the dynamics of a sport-based society affects other aspects of it as well. In Argentina, everyone knows when Boca Juniors and River Plate are playing a football match as the city of Buenos Aires with its 3 million inhabitants, appears uninhabited during the match. You can even tell which just scored by the shouting of the people out there.
For Latinos, football is a way of living, is a cultural breed same as being cultural catholic even though you don’t believe in it, is part of the dynamics of society.
With this in mind, the films that are part of the International Football Film Festival of Berlin, especially the Latin American ones, do not solely focus on the game, but in which changes produce in people, society, and in the country.
One of these films, straight from Argentina, is Contrapelota (Counter Ball), by Diego Crespo, which debuted in BAFICI, (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival), tells the oddball everyday life stories of Argentinean amateur football. There’s the color-coordinated referee who imitates a famous singer by night, the coach who looks to self-help books and “Rocky III” to motivate his team, and the manager who’s bubbling with ideas to save his club. It’s a genuine and moving glimpse at those outside the spotlight. -source 11-mm.
All the Latin American Films in the International Football Film Festival Berlin
AS COPAS POR UM CLIQUE – Douglas Lima, Jefferson Rodrigues
Behind every iconic image lies a story untold. In “As copas por um clique” Douglas Lima and Jefferson Rodrigues recount the detailed anecdotes beyond the picture frame in six emblematic photographs of the Brazilian national team at World Cups from 1970 to 2014 and take a look at the people who made them possible: the photographers. –source 11-mm.
EL FUTURO – Ernesto Martínez Bucio
Mother and son drive out of the city into a forest where several bodies were found. Maybe also those of Javier, her son, and brother. Upon arrival, the police lead them through the thicket to the site. But do you really want to know the truth? –source 11-mm.
LA DE MESSI – Mauro Iván Ojeda
Lautaro and José seek out the livelihood of their family from what others dispose of. Her father is a violent drunkard. One day, José discovers a message in his football sticker album that not only ruins Messi’s collectible image. –source 11-mm.
NOS LLAMAN GUERRERAS – Jennifer Socorro, Edwin Corona Ramos, David Alonso
In a country torn by political and economic upheaval, a team of young women find refuge in a sport that rises above their personal poverty and gendered social status. When the U17 team goes undefeated in all of South America, these women find themselves in the position to win Venezuela’s first World Cup and gain new acceptance and voice in their home country. –source 11-mm.
