By Jacob Ajom

There is a whole new, perhaps, not so new chapter being added to sports, especially football by the ingenuous management of Athletic Club Foundation. Recognising the power of sports to change the world, the foundation has wowed the world with the presentation of its film festival in an attempt to capture the social impact of football on a people. The film festival, which kicked off yesterday (October 6) runs till to Sunday (October 12).

Themed ‘Thinking Football’, the festival which is the 13th in the series, will screen 11 feature films, two medium-length films and four short films from six different countries, all covering a wide range of fascinating topics.

Pitched to appeal to a broad swathe of societal groups from – from politics, to sports, culture & entertainment industry – all are expected to grace the Thinking Football Film Festival, each participating to make the week-long event a success. Among the special guests attending this year’s festival and participating in the post-screening discussions are two legendary figures from British football: Peter Reid and Sammy Lee.
They’ll be joined by Palestinian footballer Honey Thaljieh – an Athletic Club 125th anniversary ambassador, as well as prominent figures from the world of film, including directors Andy Wells, Rob Sloman, Samri Gunn, Freidys Bjanadottir, Samuel Ab, Jack Thornton, Gerard Oms, Martin Fradkin and George Dowell. Also expected are Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine and Ella Pham, representing last year’s Audience Award-winning film, ‘Copa 71’.

The opening film titled Saipan, will be celebrating its European premiere at Thinking Football, following a successful run at the Toronto Film Festival.

Johana Ruiz-Olabuenaga, Director of Community Relations at Athletic Club will lead a powerful contingent of the foundation to perform the official opening of 13th edition of the festival. He will be accompanied by Galder Reguera- the Athletic Club Foundation’s Director of Strategy and Koldo Bilbao, BBK’s Culture Co-Ordinator.

According to organisers, “this feature film, making its European premiere at our festival, tells the true story behind the row between Ireland’s star player Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy on the eve of the 2002 World Cup. Saipan is a story of ego, loyalty and identity that transcends the world of sport.”
Saipan’s directors, Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, will be in attendance at the Sala BBK.

The Athletic Club Foundation has unveiled the programme for the 2025 edition of the Thinking Football Film Festival.

This feature film, making its European premiere at our festival tells the true story behind the row between Ireland’s star player Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy on the eve of the 2002 World Cup. Saipan is a story of ego, loyalty and identity that transcends the world of sport.

Saipan’s directors, Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, will be in attendance at the Sala BBK.
The days programme of events is loaded with exhilarating films: “Copa 71”, “Stuck On You: The Football Sticker Story” plus “Greenland: Venecia” and “Two Tribes”.

The documentary ‘Stuck On You: The Football Sticker Story’ explores the fascinating history and culture

behind football stickers.

“Following last year’s warm reception, we’ll be screening a new episode of the Greenland series,” revealed the organisers.
The new instalment offers an inspiring and visually captivating look at Venice, inviting us to celebrate not only football, but also the harmony between culture, history and sport in a setting as unconventional as it is charming.
The highlight of the day comes with the screening of ‘Two Tribes’. Set in Liverpool, a city where football and politics are intrinsically linked, this film explores the relationship between Liverpool’s two football clubs, Liverpool and Everton, during their 80s heydays, a period that coincided with a socio-economic decline in the region.
Peter Reid, representing Everton, and Sammy Lee, representing Liverpool, two giants of British football, will be in attendance.
According to the programme made available to Sports Vanguard, the festival will also on Tuesday put on the first of two special morning screenings dedicated to educational centres. “We will show last year’s Audience Award winner, Copa 71, a film that reflects on gender equality and women’s football.”
On Wednesday, 8th, Howard Kendall with Joseba Aguirre and Peio Uralde will be remembered in a special way. This moving documentary, returning to Thinking Football for a second time, tells the story of Everton and their peak under Howard Kendall in the 1980s.
For the occasion, the festival is organising a special question and answer session with Peter Reid, captain of Kendall’s legendary Everton team, and former Athletic Club players Joseba Agirre and Peio Uralde. It will be moderated by local journalist Patxi Alonso, who was a close friend of the English coach.
In a small village in Kyrgyzstan, where conservative traditions relegate women to the domestic sphere, Gazi decides to break with convention by organising a women’s football tournament. ‘Kickoff’ depicts how a simple game can challenge entrenched structures and pave the way for change.
‘The Home Game’ is a charming Icelandic documentary that follows a team from a small village in their quest to play a single official match at home. The film arrives to Thinking Football with several major accolades under its belt, including audience awards at the Malmö and Glasgow film festivals and Iceland’s documentary of the year award, as voted by readers of Klapptré.

On Friday 10 will witness a special screening of ‘Tigrar’ on World Mental Health Day and ‘Away’ starring Mario Casas

Friday begins with the second special screenings for educational centres. To mark World Mental Health Day, there will be screening Tigrar, winner of the Thinking Football 2022 audience award.
The afternoon session will be showing ‘Away’, directed by Gerard Oms and starring Mario Casas. The film follows Sergio, who travels to Utrecht with his family to attend a football match.
Before catching his flight back to Barcelona, he suffers an anxiety attack and decides to stay in the Netherlands. Unable to give his family a coherent explanation, he cuts off all contact with his past.
Other films expected to feature include Sábado 11: “One, Two, Three, Viva Algeria!” and three short films at night.

Although the show will be rounded off on Sunday, the weekend will witness the screening of the French film ‘One, Two, Three, Viva Algeria!’. The title refers to a slogan that deeply linked to history of Algerian football and the relationship between France and Algeria.

The documentary traces the history of this slogan. It originated with the Algerian FLN (National Liberation Front) team during the War of Independence, was revived again during Algeria’s 2010 World Cup campaign, and left stadiums to become a universal call for change in 2019.

Three short films: Girls Move Mountains, My Very Own Footballer! and How the Cossacks Played Football. Honey Thaljieh will take part in a Q&A after the screenings.

‘Love Lane’ revolves around Benny, who forms an impromptu Sunday League football team to cling to the past after he loses his job and his best friend moves countries. It’s a decision that triggers a chaotic romance with his flatmate.

Thinking Football will bid farwell to the 2025 festival with the screening of a very special film: ‘The Club That George Built’. After a life-changing accident, George Dowell finds purpose by transforming his childhood club, Worthing FC.

The film documents George’s first-hand account of what it is like to live with a disability, while pursuing a career and fighting for his club’s promotion. George will be at Sala BBK to present the film.

The Thinking Football Film Festival is one of the many ways Athletic Club club has initiated to further its role as a trail-blazer in social reconstruction and youth empowerment, not just in the Basque but the entire sporting world and Africa as a strategic place of interest and focus. The growing influence of players of African descent within Athletic’s system is not only a most welcome scenario and powers the motivation for the club’s global view. The film festival is expected to inspire greater opportunities for players from other ethnic identities from far and wide to achieve their dreams in the fields of sports (with football, of course) and culture (media and film-making).