As part of our “Our game for human rights” project, we screened two films at this year’s “This Human World” film festival.
After a brilliant start to the festival on December 1st, where the fairplay team also joined in the celebrations, we showed “Captains of Za’atari” in the Top Kino on the second day of the festival, covering several of the fairplay work areas with the film content:
Many Syrian refugees are stranded in Za’atari, the largest refugee camp in Jordan. Among them are Fawzi and Mahmoud. In this city of tents, soccer is a great passion for the two young men and a way to a better future. They want to make it to the Aspire academy for young talents and do their best to convince the delegation from Qatar, which is always on the lookout for budding soccer stars in the camp.
For this film, Ali El Arabi accompanied Fawzi and Mahmoud and provides an intimate and hopeful picture of their friendship and their shared dream.
The film was followed by a discussion with Helia Mirazei (fairplay workshop leader), Fener Ibrahim (Login trainer) and Thomas Plementas (Ute Bock Cup).
The screening of “LOTUS Sports Club”, which tells the story of Leak and Amas, took place in the Brunnenpassage on December 8th:
Leak and Amas, two trans men, play soccer for the U21 women’s team in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia. Their coach and father, 61-year-old Pa Vann, has welcomed them into his home since they were young, providing them and other LGBTQIA+ players with a safe space where they can be themselves. Over a period of five years, the film paints a personal and encouraging portrait of a soccer team trying to build solidarity with the queer community in Cambodia through sport.
This was also followed by a short discussion in which we welcomed Daniela Conti (Sentry) and Oliver Egger (Football for All Ombudsman’s Office) to the podium. Around 50 participants listened enthusiastically to the experts, who contributed not only professional but also personal aspects and experiences.