Screening of Pelé: Birth of a Legend
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| Pelé and the directors and producers of the film |
The film follows the story of Edson Arantes de Nascimento, internationally known by his nickname Pelé. In 1950, Brazil's loss in the World Cup caused Pelé to promise himself to help Brazil win the World Cup. He and his friends, known as the "shoeless ones," endured taunts because of their socioeconomic statuses while they played in tournaments, but Pelé eventually attracted a scout.
After his close friend's death, though, he stopped playing entirely and started working with his father. His father encourages him to take up soccer again, and he becomes so skilled that his previous scout decided to take him to play professional soccer. His "gingo" playing style clashed with the coach's idea of how to play "proper" soccer, though, so Pelé adopted the more sophisticated "European" playing style.
The Brazilian team dealt with a lot of cultural discrimination when they reached the World Cup finals. Eventually, though, Pelé's playing style helped unite the Brazilian team and win the World Cup against Sweden. The actual Pelé also makes a cameo during the film.
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| Pelé with the two actors representing him in the film |
After the film, the co-producer, Ivan Orlic, participated in the Q&A session with the students. He discussed his journey from studying marine biology and fishery management in Michigan State University to being the CEO of his own company, Seine Pictures. He also talked about working with Pelé and the hidden difficulties of filming in Brazil.
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| Orlic answering a question with Charlie |
Overall, as someone who has no knowledge of famous soccer players, I found the film to be well-written and clear. The cinematography was also absolutely beautiful (and the film was the first to be filmed in 5K!). I loved the consistent them of cultural discrimination that followed every action that Pelé took to achieve his goals. His journey is truly incredible.
Here's the official trailer for Pelé:
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