If you are in the LA area following the conclusion of El Clasico I encourage you to check out the fantastic documentary

El Clásico, More than a Game

Saturday, December 10, 2011 – 6:30 PM

East Los Angeles College Performing and Fine Arts Center

1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez – Monterey Park, CA 91754

General Admission: $ 5.00

Free Parking – Enter off Cesar Chavez

For more information contact Celia Brugman (310) 259-6274 cbrugman@gmail.com - www.elclasico.org

 

Below is an overview of the film:

The soccer rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona is not only one of the most intense and most watched sporting events in the world, it is also the most deeply complex socially, politically and culturally.

El Clasico – More Than a Game,  looks  closely at what makes this rivalry what it is.  The film examines Spanish history and the conflicts that have divided Spain and these two teams.  We look at  the distinct regions of Spain and how the fans have expressed themselves culturally through soccer.  And we explore the ways in which political loyalties and different conceptions of Spain have impacted these respective teams and cities.

In this film you will meet the great stars of today: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and how they have impacted the playing styles of their teams.   We examine how the teams changed in relation to Spanish and Catalan history and how the teams became not just symbols of a region but representative of a way of life.  We look at the emotional commitments of the fans and what drives their passion.  And we cover the intense match-ups that have only grown more contentious in recent years.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the most widely recognized team “brands” in the world.   Whenever they play, all of Spain stops to watch and countless millions in the rest of the world tune in to their television sets.    El Clasico captures the history of Spain, the traditions, the regional identity and the passion that makes these matches some of the most exciting in the world.

The documentary is evenly divided between interviews in English and Spanish, with the current version having English subtitles for Spanish speakers.

The clubs have granted access to our film crew and the project counts with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Culture.  We gained access to team practices, games, outings with players and individual and group interviews.  We also met with some of Spain’s most outstanding and well known Journalists, historians, political scientists and philosophers.   This film goes far beyond just the goal scoring and looks at the deeper levels of the game.

The following people are featured in the film.

Players, former players and managers

Thierry Henry,  Iker Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carles Puyol, Emilio Butragueño, Bojan Krkic, Gonzalo Higuaín, Andoni Zubizarreta, Diego Godín, Pep Guardiola,  Jose Mourinho