Vancity scores with World Cup-themed film series

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      With the 2014 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, local soccer enthusiasts have the chance to take a cinematic glimpse into The Beautiful Game. 

      That’s the title of a five-movie series Iberoamerican Images is bringing to the Vancity Theatre, beginning June 11 and lasting almost as long as the competition itself.

      “Soccer is the biggest unifying factor for all Latin American countries,” program curator Lili Vieira de Carvalho told the Georgia Straight by phone. “We all have a different historical background, but something that you can always identify with when you meet another Latin American person is soccer.”

      The screenings kick off on Wednesday (June 11) with Fla v Flu, a passionate documentary about the historic rivalry between host-nation Brazil’s Flamengo and Fluminense teams. After the movie, viewers will be treated to a traditional Brazilian gala, complete with live music and caipirinhas. The following afternoon, you can catch the Brazil/Croatia match, broadcast from the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo on the Vancity's big screen. 

      On June 16, Y Tu Mama Tambien stars Gael Garcí­a Bernal and Diego Luna reunite to poke fun at Mexico’s obsession with soccer and celebrity in the satirical comedy Rudo y Cursi.

      On June 23, the biopic Heleno follows the life of Brazilian soccer star Heleno de Freitas, who, while brilliant on the field, was tortured by psychological problems and despised by many of his teammates.

      On June 30, Linha de Passe offers a tough, rugged drama about a young man who dreams of being a professional footballer.

      The event is capped off on July 7 with Maradona by Kurustica, an intimate look at (arguably) the world’s most beloved soccer player.

      “It’s bound to everything, people are really, really passionate. It’s to the point where a soccer player can be elected to parliament because he gets so popular through the sport,” says the Brazilian-born Vieira de Carvalho. “At funerals we will offer coffins with a team crest. Or the first gift to a newborn would be a little jersey with the team player. It goes from being born all the way to the end of life.”

      Tickets are available at the Iberoamerican Images website. More information here.

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