I'm sure someone will find a way to twist the following statement to make me look like a prick or self-hating negro but here it is anyway: I'm tired of seeing soccer movies about poor, brown people.
Documentary makers, you know we're not a monolith right? There are well-to-do brown folks that play soccer as well. Bring your cameras down to a youth game in PG County, MD or Cascade Heights, GA if you don't believe me. Also there are disadvantaged Europeans and Asians who play soccer as well, give them some shine from time to time.
I'm not saying there shouldn't be films about underprivileged brown kids and the uplifting power of soccer. Not at all. But the frequency with which these things have dropped over the last few years is just ridiculous and extremely disproportionate. Here's a list of the titles that I can think of without Googling:
- Chasing the Mad Lion
- The Anderson Monarchs project
- Dreamtown
- The Day Brazil Was Here
- Africa 10
- Bush League
Seriously y'all we're dangerously close to "Magical Negro" territory with these types of films. Why do they keep getting made? At this point it is certainly not original and I've yet to see a follow up film where it shows some drastic improvement in the lives of the subjects since the original film. Come on y'all, we can do better.
6 comments:
Well, I don't necessarily disagree with you. People have good intentions and want to film an aspect of Africa that isn't dwelling on the hopelessly negative, but clearly they need a new angle.
-- middle class Brown-American woman, into watching soccer, home team Los Angeles Galaxy, ready for my cameo. ;)
I see both sides of the coin and would have to agree. Similar to what people were doing right after the big earthquake to hit Japan. People donated millions of USD worldwide yet Africa has been ignored for centuries and their struggles would make any of us think twice the next time we spent a dime.
**Truth**
PS. Not trying to send out the wrong message; my intentions are to just think for yourself.
I tried to formulate all of my thoughts into a long response but was finding it difficult.
But, in summary I disagree with what you said.
^^^
Fair enough. I might disagree with me too. Just tired of the pigeon-holing I guess. All the "Brown folks in soccer docs are destitute and need soccer to change their life", "Americans are fat war-mongers", "Soccer fans in America are all messageboard trolls who live in their mom's basement",etc etc has worn on me. Maybe I'm just too sensitive.
Thanks for sharing your info. I really appreciate your efforts and I will be waiting for your further write ups thanks once again.
Doesn't matter the color of these skin: these documentaries are mere crap.
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