Archive of films Africa United / Africa United

Iceland
2005, 82 min

Section: Documentary Films - Competition
Year: 2005

Johannesson’s energetic look inside the ‘locker rooms’ of an unusual football team uses a comic approach to show what happens when a Serb argues with a teammate from Nigeria on a third-league Icelandic football pitch.

Synopsis

In a cold, north European country, inhabited 95% by fair-skinned people, the popularity of a football club primarily made up of African immigrants is growing year by year. Zico, who arrived in Iceland from Morocco in 1989, headed the amateur team “Africa United” for ten years. Following his departure, the first season involving 3rd-league semi-professional teams turned out badly for these devotees from the black continent, the Balkans and South America. They were abandoned by their best striker, an event that threatened to drop them back to amateur football. Last year, the players re-formed and, this time, they are determined to succeed whatever it costs. Will they manage to do it? Or will they find themselves irretrievably labelled as forgotten outsiders? Johannesson’s energetic look inside the locker room of an unusual football team uses a comic approach to show what happens when a Serb argues with a team-mate from Nigeria on a thirdleague Icelandic football pitch.

About the director

Olafur Johannesson studied physics in Reykjavik, graduating in 1995. Since then he has shared in many film projects, including both feature and documentary films. After working for two years for the production company Megafilm, focusing primarily on TV documentaries, he founded the independent production company Poppoli Pictures. Headed by Johannesson as director and producer, the team created Jesus Is Closer to Home and a documentary which required three years’ preparation, about an unusual Buddhist monk who decided to get married. Icelandic film critics regard Johannesson as one of the biggest directing talents in the country.

Contacts

Icelandic Film Centre
Hverfisgata 54, 101, Reykjavik
Iceland
Tel: +354 562 3580
Fax: +354 562 7171
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.icelandicfilmcentre.is

Zik Zak Filmworks
Hverfisgata 14 a, IS - 101, Reykjavik
Iceland
Tel: +354 511 201 9
Fax: +354 511 301 9
E-mail: [email protected]

About the film

Color, 35 mm
World premiere

Section:	Documentary Films - Competition

Director:	Olaf de Fleur Johannesson
Screenplay:	Olafur Johannesson
Dir. of Photography:	Ragnar Santos
Music:	Bardi Johannsson
Editor:	Benedikt Johannesson, Olafur Johannesson
Producer:	Ragnar Santos, Olafur Johannesson, Benedikt Johannesson
Production:	Poppoli Pictures Iceland, Zik Zak Filmworks
Contact:	Icelandic Film Centre, Zik Zak Filmworks

www:	www.poppoli.com/af.html

Guests

Laufey Guðjónsdóttir

Film Institution Rep.

Olaf de Fleur Johannesson

Film Director, Film Director

Thora Gunnarsdóttir

Film Institution Rep.

Ragnar Santos

Producer