Football Under Cover

Synopsis

Narmila is on the Iranian Women's national football team, they’re dedicated, they train, they love football, but they have one problem, they are not allowed to compete.
Under Iranian law only men can participate in or watch a sporting match.
When Marlene, the left back on the Berlin-Kreuzberg women’s team, hears of this, she decides to do something about it. She spends the next year in a difficult struggle with the Iranian government to get a match arranged between her team and the Iranian women’s team. Finally, she and her colleagues manage to get through the red tape, the approval is granted and the game takes place. Men are banned from attending, and the morals police stand outside to prevent anyone from peaking inside. Inside, even though it was forbidden to advertise the match, 1000 women chant and cheer. The excitement ignites the stadium until over the loudspeaker a woman’s voice reminds them to behave decently and tend their hijab.
Football Under Cover is more than a film about a football match. It’s a film about real life in a restrictive culture where women are severely controlled by men, but still through it all, self expression worms its way out. 52 & 86 minutes, HD

Festivals/Awards

2008 among others
Teddy Award – Berlinale PERSPECTIVE
NaturVision
Audience Award – Pink Apple Festival, Zurich
IDFA

2022
LETsDOK

Football Under Cover

Football Under Cover

Football Under Cover

Football Under Cover

Football Under Cover