Soccer or should we say, fútbol, is global. And some teams take winning to a spiritual level.
It’s serious for some countries. Unlike one team who just wants to score, once.
“Next Goal Wins” is a flick about the worst team in the game.
Deco asked the guys how they planned on turning their losing streak into a win.
“Next Goal Wins” is a hilarious take of a true underdog story, and American Samoa was that scoreless team.
Maybe intimidating the other team will help?
Taika Waititi/ director and co-writer: “Generically, call it a war dance, which is kind of accurate, but it’s used in very many different situations. You’ll often have it in funerals, in weddings, to honor people.”
For actor-director, Taika Waititi, who is a Pacific Islander himself, getting revved up before a game was important to capture.
Taika Waititi: “It’s a very strong part of that culture, in Pacific Island cultures, and yeah, it’s a very beautiful thing and to show it on screen. It’s a sacred thing to us, but also I think it translates, it comes through the screen and I think audiences also feels that energy as well.”
What would yours sound like?
Taika Waititi: “Well, I’m not going to make up one right here, but I wouldn’t make up one cause there’s hundreds of different Haka.”
They might be the worst soccer team in the world but…
Taika Waititi: “It’s a story about triumph over adversity. That’s really the thing that attracted me to this.”
Soccer player Jaiyah Saelua, was the real life inspiration for the film and also a subject of the team’s documentary.
We asked how Taika’s film stacks up to the doc.
Jaiyah Saelua: “Oh dangerous question. I am satisfied and I love how this film turned out and how he was able to capture the true essence of the team. Those important things are true to the documentary and our true story. But then of course Taika will do what he wants with his films and it just turned out really well.”
Catch “Next Goal Wins” in theaters this Friday.
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