Across Africa, people are using soccer to lift themselves up, to create change in their communities and to pave the way for progress. "The Beautiful Game" follows several unforgettable Africans who are beating the odds on and off the pitch.
The story of Pastor Lucy and her husband Duncan Ndegwa, who began feeding and sheltering children from the streets of Nairobi, Kenya in 1996.
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Documentary about the Football World Cup held in Argentina in 1978, focusing on the competition and behind the scenes of the most important soccer competition in the world. Two versions of the 1978 official film exist, the first "Copa 78 - O Poder do Futebol" was made by Brazilian directors Maurício Sherman and Victor di Mello in 1979 but was later withdrawn by FIFA because of its controversial content. The film includes an interview with Rodolfo Galimberti, one of the leaders of the Montoneros guerrilla group and also made accusations that the Argentinian competition organisation committee had deliberately hindered Brazilian chances of success by tampering with the pitch at Mar del Plata.
1979
"Africa Light" - as white local citizens call Namibia. The name suggests romance, the beauty of nature and promises a life without any problems in a country where the difference between rich and poor could hardly be greater. Namibia does not give that impression of it. If you look at its surface it seems like Africa in its most innocent and civilized form. It is a country that is so inviting to dream by its spectacular landscape, stunning scenery and fascinating wildlife. It has a very strong tourism structure and the government gets a lot of money with its magical attraction. But despite its grandiose splendor it is an endless gray zone as well. It oscillates between tradition and modernity, between the cattle in the country and the slums in the city. It shuttles from colonial times, land property reform to minimum wage for everyone. It fluctuates between socialism and cold calculated market economy.
2010
Rwanda was once a country of peace, beauty and fabulous wildlife. Romain Baertsoen arrived there in 1966 and started to film two of Rwanda's secrets, the Bahima tribe and rare mountain gorillas. The Rwandan Civil War shattered the peace in 1994, as warring factions pillaged towns and plundered the forests. Remarkably, the gorillas survived, but the world around them is increasingly uncertain.
The classic board game, Scrabble, has been popular for decades. In addition, there are fanatics who devote heart and soul to this game to the expense of everything else. This film profiles a group of these enthusiasts as they converge for a Scrabble convention where the word game is almost a bloodsport.
2004
Champions of Europe is a celebration of 50 years of outstanding football competition as told by the clubs and players who made the contest so unforgettable. Featuring all the most memorable players, goals and performances from every European Cup final ever played, it also contains extended highlights and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the thrilling Liverpool v AC Milan final in Istanbul 2005. As the only official UEFA history of the competition, the DVD also offers unparallelled access to the big-name players with Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Zidane, Beckham, Eusebio, Charlton, Maldini, Gerrard and many more sharing their memories of the games and performances that made them legends.
2006
David Asmmann's Football Under Cover documents the hard work involved in setting up an exhibition soccer match, known as a "friendly," between a German girls squad and Iranian women's team. In addition to showing how the two groups come from very different cultures, the documentary showcases what playing the game means to the members of both teams, and displays how passionate the fans of these two squads are.
2008
No description available.
The story of how, in the 1970 and 1978 World Cups, Brazil and Argentina's military dictators took a vested interest in their nation's football dreams.
2018
2007
In Uganda, AIDS-infected mothers have begun writing what they call Memory Books for their children. Aware of the illness, it is a way for the family to come to terms with the inevitable death that it faces. Hopelessness and desperation are confronted through the collaborative effort of remembering and recording, a process that inspires unexpected strength and even solace in the face of death.
Halfway between a sports documentary and an conceptual art installation, "Zidane" consists in a full-length soccer game (Real Madrid vs. Villareal, April 23, 2005) entirely filmed from the perspective of soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane.
An epic journey along Africa's Great Green Wall — an ambitious vision to grow a wall of trees stretching across the entire continent to fight against increasing drought, desertification and climate change.
2020
A sport like football is primarily a passionate celebration, but one that is so massive (economically, politically and socially) that it, of course, also brings many problems. Olallo Rubio's third documentary (and fourth film in total), Ilusión Nacional, is a take on how the world's most popular sport relates to Mexican society and politics.
2014
A documentary on Argentinean soccer star Diego Maradona, regarded by many as the world's greatest modern player.
Spanish footballers come together for the first time to relive the turbulent 2023 Women's World Cup and the kiss that overshadowed their victory.
2024
