Wgtn’s first Film Festival dedicated to football

Wellington’s first Film Festival dedicated to football

The Goethe-Institut and Paramount are proud to present Wellington’s first Film Festival dedicated to football (or soccer if you prefer). With Germany about to host the 2006 World Cup, what better way to get into the mood than to spend the ten days from May 18th –28th watching the very best films about football from around the world?

“Anpfiff” opens on May 18th with One Day In Europe, a film that celebrates the diversity of European languages and cultures, all linked by one game: football. The Festival will be officially opened by Jorg Zimmermann, German Ambassador to New Zealand and international soccer star Wynton Rufer, who successfully played in the German Bundesliga for many years

Other highlights of the programme include The Eleven Devils, a recently re-discovered silent classic from 1927. Football as Never Before pays homage to the late George Best as the camera follows him alone through a single match. Le Ballon D’or is the multi-faceted story of a ten year old boy from Guinea who is determined to make it as a football star. And no football festival would be complete without a film from the most football fanatic nation in the world: Brazil. Boleiros is a comical and melancholic insight into the lives of six ageing Brazilian football stars.

Not only for the younger viewers is the magical Fimpen, a Swedish children’s classic about what happens when a six-year-old joins the Swedish national team. A Pass From The Back is the humourous story of the mutation of a small iron football figurine into a living creature who strides into the world.

Documentaries are also represented with Adelante Muchachas, a captivating insight into the world of girls’ football in Latin America. The Other Final celebrates the true spirit of football in showing the final between the two worst teams in the world. Die Champions is an in depth look behind the scenes at large European soccer clubs, following four youngsters on their way to becoming professional players.

Shoot Goals, Shoot Movies is certainly one of the highlights of the festival, showing the 45 best short films out of 611 entries from all over the world to the 2004 competition at the Berlin Film Festival.

Accompanying the Film Festival is an exhibition of football related photographs from the renowned MAGNUM photographers. The photographs will be on display in the Paramount foyer from April 22nd. Mini-foot tables will also be available for people to try their skills throughout the festival.

There will be special ticket prices for teams (groups of 11 and up), and for school groups, daytime sessions have be programmed to fit into school hours.

For a full programme, session times and any further details, please contact Kate Larkindale at the Paramount or Lisa Moenchmeyer at the Goethe-Institut.

Kate Larkindale: kate@paramount.co.nz,

ENDS

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