The Other Great Match

The pounding and the yelling - it never stops. The SF tag continue their timeless rant above my dusty flat despite the obvious. I know, I know. Obviousness. I guess it's appropriate given the news that changes are on the way.

Party, party...... parting. 

Hey, wait a minute. I just thought of something. Can we recognize another football event? A superior worldview sporting glimpse of culture that includes both  men and women?

Nah, that would be to refined... let's stick to film. 

A random review captures the essence:

"As the Amazon Indians discuss where they can find a TV to see the game, one suggests they go up river to the mission to which another replies "we can't go to the mission - the preacher's an American. They don't watch football". It's true as an American I'm not much of a soccer fan, but the show really isn't about soccer. It is about the change (and possibly the end) of indigenous cultures around the world who are increasingly influenced by international television. Through the course of the movie we learn how each of these groups acquired a television and observe the hilarious ways in which it has influenced their culture. The Mongolians now only follow the power lines so they can tie in to power their TV - the desert tribe must travel for miles to reach the only 'tree' so they can hook up their antenna - the Amazon Indians can't catch any prey because the soccer fan in the back is calling out plays the whole hunt. In the first scene in Mongolia we see a breathtaking hunt with Eagles, then later in the show we see these magnificent birds ignominiously placed as goal posts for a family soccer match (and one gets beaned with the ball). The show is lighthearted and humorous, but most memorable is the fascinating insights into these cultures and the ingenious ways they are adapting to technology. It is funny, yet sad in a way. Most of all, we observe a touch of familiar humanity in these cultures, from the most remote parts of the world, as an international game brings us all together."

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Resources:

Film Movement

Match Factory

Rotten Tomatoes