Showing @ Odeon West End, 2 Sun 17 15:00 & Vue 7, Wed 20 15:00.
Debs Gardner-Paterson/ UK, Rwanda, South Africa / 2010 / 87 min
Over the last twenty years, the sports industry’s relentless pursuit of profit has consumed all the charm, joy and excitement that used to inspire and unite communities. South Africa’s recent escapade with the World Cup cost $5bn, corporate sponsors took more than $4bn in tax-free profits and more than a million South African’s lost their jobs. It’s this kind of inhumane behaviour and gross financial excess that makes the innocent fun of Africa United such a success. For the young Rwandan friends “food, football and school” are the most important things: in that order.
United opens with self-appointed manager Dudu (Eriya Ndayambaje) explaining how to perform safe sex whilst using a blown-up condom, a plastic bag and some skillfully placed string to make a football. Then his star player comes in, the elegant looking Fabrice (Roger Nsengiyumva) kicking his ball and conveniently gets spotted by Jean Baptiste (Richard Lukunku) and offered the chance to play as part of the Africa United team providing he can make it to the trials. They end up on the wrong bus and find themselves in the Congo where their impromptu journey to the World Cup in South Africa begins.
Playfully directed by Debs Gardner-Paterson, Africa United interjects the journey with Dudu’s stories, which are gentle stop-motion affairs that involve all of the characters in the film and serve as precursors to the live action. The young cast does well and their bubbling excitement that drives the story creates a suitably swift pace. Ultimately, the life-affirming tale this film offers is predictable and tired but to see the African landscape and the trials that its inhabitants face as a setting rather than a theme makes a refreshing change and brings sport back to the fans, forgetting the logos for once.