Keswick Film Festival

Synopsis

New UK Directors Day. Video interview with the directors
Continuing Keswick Film Club's support for new British talent, we have two very different films which we hope will show the range of films being produced today.

With the world cup over, we thought it was appropriate to bring you this documentary; even football hating Mark Kermode loved it - 'Having infamously lost 31-0 to Australia, the "world's worst football team" American Samoa attempt to regain a sense of national pride by enlisting a coach and a couple of related off-islanders to help them rise from the bottom of the league during the World Cup qualifiers. Whether or not you give two hoots about "the beautiful game" (and I don't), this charming and uplifting documentary will have you cheering for the underdogs and wishing that all footballers were this humble, determined and just plain decent. The star is transgender player Jaiyah Saelua, who tackles hard and comes up smiling, winning the respect of gruff coach Thomas Rongen, a tough nut with personal tragedy in his past who is reduced to tears by the efforts of his team. You'll be the same; watching this was the first time I have ever punched the air because a football sailed into the back of a net. And very probably the last.'