The Power of the Game

I just came across a reference to a recent Michael Apted documentary, The Power of the Game, where he follows six stories that track the futbol phenomenon, leading up to the 2006 World Cup. One chapter deals with the "slave trade" of young African players, another addresses the entrenched racism around football in Europe, another is about the repression facing Iranian women in football... Gotta put this on my imminent film list.

Apted's done a bunch of Hollywood feature films as well, but he's probably best known for his 7 Up documentary series, an episodic film that explored the contours of social class and began in 1963 while Apted was working as a researcher for Granada Television. He helped recruit a group of 14 seven-year-old British school children to discuss their lives and dreams. Every 7 years, Apted follows up with the original group, or those that agree to continue on. The most recent production, "49 Up," was released in 2005.