Pelada
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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Away from the bright lights and manicured fields, there's another side of soccer. Two players, twenty-five countries, one game. Pelada is a documentary following Luke and Gwendolyn, two former college soccer stars who didn't quite make it to the pros. Not ready for it to be over, they take off, chasing the game. From prisoners in Bolivia to moonshine brewers in Kenya, from freestylers in China to women who play in hijab in Iran, Pelada is the story of the people who play.
Why It's FilmBuff
With four young Americans playing pick up soccer games around the world sounds like a sports movie, we'll concede with you. However, what also makes Pelada so unique is that through these soccer games we get to explore other cultures around the world. Sometimes the most revealing cultural studies are the ones done without an anthropologist and just some people who share a common love.

Tell us what you think
Cast:
  • Luke Boughen
    ... Himself
  • Gwendolyn Oxenham
    ... Herself
Crew:
  • Director:
    Luke Boughen
  • Director:
    Rebekah Fergusson
  • Director:
    Ryan White
  • Director:
    Gwendolyn Oxenham
  • Producers:
    Les Allan
  • Producers:
    Francis Gasparini
  • Producers:
    Ryan White
Film Reviews:
  • "Pelada presents pick-up soccer as a universal passion, showing how the sport manages to transcend political and cultural barriers through an uplifting international survey of everywhere the game is played."
    Variety
Film Festivals:
  • SXSW Film Festival
  • Newport Beach Film Festival
  • Starz/Denver Film Festival
  • Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
Production Company:
Tripod Media
Film Website URL