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Plot Summary
Race. Class. Poverty. Faith. Hope. Soccer. Welcome to Alex––the largest and most notorious township in South Africa where soccer is lived, not played. With the first ever FIFA World Cup in Africa as a backdrop, witness the cultural importance of soccer in township South Africa through the lives of five individuals born and raised in the oldest and toughest of South Africa’s townships, Alexandra, locally known as ‘Alex.’ Seventeen-year-old dribbling sensation Nancy ‘Maradona’ Majola, former national team player Isaac ‘Shakes’ Kungwane, current professional Patrick ‘Raiden’ Phungwayo, 69-year-old Jacob ‘Babes’ Bopape one of the first professional soccer players in South Africa, and scholarship-winner Ricardo ‘Rico’ Kutumela will all take you into a culture dominated by soccer and into a storied township still largely unknown and misunderstood even among South Africans.
Customer Reviews
Soccer City
The township came alive for me and introduced me to a world that I knew little about. The five individuals that Soccer City profiled are passionate and articulate about their hopes for the future. They play under conditions that few Americans would put up with, they practice all the time and they pray that soccer will be their ticket out of the township - into the larger world where more will be possible for them. The film is done with great compassion and admiration of everyone the film makers meet. It is a wonderful experience and one that all soccer players (as well as others) should watch.
Brilliant!
The director does a phenomenal job of capturing the essense of soccer and it's legendary presence in South Africa. This documentary has a rare quality in the sense that Fitzhugh was able to showcase a harsh reality, through such a warm delivery. We see the truth about South Africans, and Africans in general which is their undefeatable spirit. We see the cast lively, fearless, and hopeful, in what most would call a hopeless situation. It puts alot into perspective, and is ultimately very humbling. At moments I was close to tears, then something hilarious would happen to make me laugh. Overall, very impressive work and I recommend it to anyone, whether you're a soccer fan or not!
Loved this!
After watching this film, I can only say that I wish I lived for something the way these characters live for soccer. Their passion, and their drive is so admirable. This film does an amazing job conveying the sheer and absolute importance that the game of soccer plays in Alexandra, South Africa. It's inspiring to see how soccer acts as a portals to academics, and opportunity, but it is depressing to hear that it is only of the only such portals. The movie does a wonderful job of creating strong narratives in a short amount of time. The film's style is urban and fresh and seems to really reflect the energy of the township. Overall, I love this, and I am so thankful that there are film makers out there who work hard to share stories like this.
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