We know it’s a rather controversial claim, but watching soccer players can be rewarding, and soccer jokes don’t have to serve only as an attempt at consolation. It’s enough that the game is directed by Taika Waititi and the coach is Michael Fassbender. So put on your favorite club colors and get ready for an amazing show: the 14th American Film Festival (November 7-12) will feature Next Goal Wins, Waititi’s latest work, a Searchlight Pictures production, shown at the festival thanks to a partnership with Disney Poland.
Passes, as well as media and industry accreditations for the festival, are available for purchase until October 20.
Order an industry accreditation
Taika Waititi has already scored a cinematic hat-trick: he has breathed new life into vampire stories (What We Do in the Shadows), humanized and cheered up the God of Thunder (Thor: Ragnarok) and with clockwork precision and flair brought humor to a story about war (Jojo Rabbit; Academy Award for screenplay). This time the New Zealand director refreshes sports cinema. The result is traditionally excellent: tenderness is combined here with wisdom, delectable humor is intertwined with reflections on passion, and Waititi also provides a non-obvious answer to the tricky question
“what does it mean to achieve success?”.
Directed by Taika Waititi and based on a true story, Next Goal Wins follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamously known for their brutal 31-0 loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy.
The film stars Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House and Kaimana. The producers are Taika Waititi, Jonathan Cavendish and Garrett Basch, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant and Kathryn Dean taking on the roles of executive producers. Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, who directed the 2014 documentary of the same name that inspired Next Goal Wins, are also in charge of production.
We will be revealing more details of the 14th American Film Festival program in the coming weeks, with the full program scheduled for release on October 24th. The following day, you can purchase individual tickets for festival screenings. For more details, visit americanfilmfestival.pl.