Beautiful Game Series
BEAUTIFUL GAME SERIES
Beautiful Game Series
BEAUTIFUL GAME SERIES
Beautiful Game Series is a sophisticated filmed look at Brazilian culture through the prism of its rich football history. It explores the relationship between the well-known Brazilian national obsession with football and other fundamentals of Brazilian life, art, music, dance, and politics to expose cross-currents beneath the surface.
Brazil is an endless source of sports stories capable of delighting international audiences. Indeed, Brazil has been dubbed the South American country "o País do Futebol," which translates to "the country of football." With five World Cup Championships, more than any other nation, Brazil exports more professional soccer players than any other country. Brazilian players star on teams throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the U.S.
Indeed, Brazil is recognized worldwide for its soccer excellence and cultural identification with the sport. John began developing the Beautiful Game as an independent film project, understanding that the eyes of the world would turn to Brazil in 2014 and 2016 as it hosted the World Cup and Olympics.
In Celebration of Brazil and Football
The world may change. The project of a classic film series open to heart of a nation of soccer lovers remains.
SHADOW GAME tells a story of soccer in an era of change and continuing violence against women. Brazil-born Marta was the first global star in the women’s game. Her laurels include five consecutive FIFA World Player of the Year Awards and two Olympic silver medals. Marta's story is a window into the history and culture of women's sports. Women’s soccer rose in Brazil during the 1920s and ’30s. In 1941, deeply conservative views about gender, race, class, and commerce led the newly centralized Brazilian government to ban many women’s sports, including football. Reaffirmed by the military dictatorship in 1965, these laws stood until 1979.
KISSING THE CUP
The 1970 World Championship Captain
KISSING THE CUP is an intimate account of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup Championship team and its captain, Carlos Alberto Torres.Carlos Alberto led a national team of superstars, which included his friend and teammate, Pelé, to secure Brazil's status as THE FOOTBALL NATION. The story of beloved “O Capitao” connects football to a rapidly changing 20th Century and shines a light on the global marketing of professional futébol and its impact the life of a player and generations of family.
CORINTHIANS, the team of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista is known as “Todo Poderoso or the Almighty. It’s other nicknames include Timão (The Great Team) or Time do Povo (The People's Team.) The São Paulo club dates its history to 1910. Corinthians became a huge deal when its players Democracy Movement became a symbol ushering out the military dictatorship that governed Brazil from 1964-1985.
Today, Corinthians is a giant fraternity of crusaders from São Paulo that engulfs and unites football fans from exclusive gated communities to the poorest favelas. 30,000 cheered their heroes to the world title in 2012 in Japan; 35 million watched on TV. With legendary players, notorious fan clubs such as Gavioes da Fiel (Hawks of the Faithful), CORINTHIANS takes you inside a world of incomparable fan loyalty and a sports culture that informs the identity of millions.
In Northern Minnesota's Lakes Country sits Pelican Rapids, a factory town of 2,500 people, a four-hour drive north of Minneapolis. The town's nearly 50% non-white demographics are unique to every community around them, and so is the school housing the Pelican Rapids Vikings. The school is the smallest traditional public school in Minnesota with its own soccer program. The team tried to rediscover reality in a new world as a global pandemic raged.
The entire 2020 season was captured on film by Pelican Rapids high school students. Head Coach John Peter wrote and produced WE ARE FROM PELICAN.
WE ARE FROM PELICAN challenges our assumptions about issues that matter: bi-cultural identity, home, education, mental health, aspiration, survival, and success. Additional resources for each episode include age-appropriate discussion guides for parents, educators, and youth leaders to talk through the tough topics in each episode.
From Ellio Productions, WE ARE FROM PELICAN is a moving, optimistic story deserving of a broad audience. With its enormous global fan base, soccer can be a powerful platform for positive storytelling.
