The Homeless World Cup Foundation has inspired The Beautiful Game, a new film from Netflix based on the true stories of that organization starring Bill Nighy, Michael Ward, and Sheyl Cole.
Let’s get right into the official synopsis from Netflix:
Mal (Bill Nighy, Living, About Time) is the manager of England’s homeless football team, taking his players to Rome with the hope of being crowned champions of the Homeless World Cup, a global street soccer tournament. At the last minute he decides to bring with them a talented striker Vinny (Ward), who could give them a real chance at winning, but only if he’s ready to let go of his past and become part of the team. Made with the support of the Homeless World Cup, The Beautiful Game is a film of second chances – where homeless teams from around the world find that all roads lead to Rome, and everything’s to play for.
In addition to Bill Nighy, the film also stars an ensemble cast with Susan Wokoma, Callum Scott Howells, Kit Young, Sheyi Cole, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Robin Nazari, Aoi Okuyama, Cristina Rodlo, Tadashi Watanabe, Kazuhiro Muroyama and Valeria Golino. The film is directed by Thea Sharrock and is written by Frank Cottrell Boyce.
Diarmuid McKeown, Claudine Farrell, and Ollie Madden are executive producers, along with Film4’s Daniel Battsek. Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, and Ben Knight are producing for Blueprint Pictures with Anita Overland and Colin Farrell.
Here’s the history behind the Homeless World Cup Foundation. According to Shadow and Act, it was founded in 2001. The foundation comprises a “Global Network” of 70 member countries that utilize football (soccer) to battle homelessness and social isolation. The first Homeless World Cup took place in 2003 in Graz, Austria. The foundation’s goal is to use football “to support and inspire people who are homeless to change their own lives, and to change perceptions and attitudes towards people who are experiencing homelessness.”
The Beautiful Game hits Netflix on March 29, 2024.
The post WATCH: Netflix Sports Film ‘The Beautiful Game’ Trailer Based on True Story first appeared on The Source.
The post WATCH: Netflix Sports Film ‘The Beautiful Game’ Trailer Based on True Story appeared first on The Source.