Identity and passion for the game
other choices that I thought the audience would be interested in.”
The result is a diverse and eclectic choice of films from Israel, Uruguay, Argentina, Sweden and Kenya, the result of Markus’s hugely time-consuming but enjoyable sifting through football films from around the world. “I love soccer but whereas Greg is more the kicking side I’m more of the screening aspect so I spend hours watching films — basically I will watch any film which has football in it. What we are looking for for the festival are movies about football which stand on their own as films.”
She says that the audience which comes to the festivals are much more than just football fanatics. “Of course you’re going to have fans and people who might have an allegiance to a team or a player featured in a film, but it is really a cross section. We also get film buffs and people who are more interested in the stories than the sport.”
She feels that the festival is the embodiment of her passion for films and for football and to that end she does not mind putting in the hours. “We all have day jobs but these films are great and we just love getting them some exposure.” Kicking and Screening opens on January 16. Tickets available on 020 7284 7384
January 16 A documentary which follows musician Jaime Roos and his son on their journey to support the Uruguayan national team at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Kicking and Screening’s Rachel Markus comments: “This film has a fly-on-the-wall aspect to it which is really appealing and you get to know the relationship between the father and son through the football.”
January 23 This is the story of the “Swedish Model” — the social compact devised and put in place by the government in the late 1970s — and how Sven-Göran Eriksson’s IFK Göteborg adapted it to shake up European football. Markus comments: “They were a team of amateurs who found themselves playing Barcelona. It is about the Swedish model of society and also a wonderful story about football.”
January 30 A poignant look at three AS Roma youth players who very nearly made it big in football but ultimately failed to make the grade. Markus comments: “It shows a different side to the game — those who were on the cusp of success but for whom it doesn’t quite work out. It also shows how hard it is to let go of the dream.”
February 6 El Otro Football is about the lower leagues of Argentinian football through the eyes of one passionate spectator. Sivan is a short Israeli film focusing exclusively on the animated, wide-eyed face of a Hapoel Tel Aviv fan as she watches a live game. Markus comments: “Sivan is a very intimate look at 13 minutes of one fan watching a game. You’re seeing the game through her eyes – cursing , praying, laughing and crying.”
February 13 A powerful Kenyan film exploring how soccer facilitated social change in the town of Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa. The film sets out to debunk stereotypes. Markus comments: “Part of the many joys of running the festival apart from the stress and lack of sleep is that we get insights into how people live in different countries. This film is a great example of that.”
February 20 The rivalry between Buenos Aires clubs Boca Juniors and River Plate is one of the most passionate in sport.The film provides a look at the cultural impact of this rivalry for the players and the fans Markus comments: This is about both the passion and the irrationality of the fans of these teams. You can have two or three loves in your life but there’s only room for one football team.”