film

Here's an unusual departure from Filmoteca's regular programming: Gurinder Chadha's vibrant British football comedy-drama from 2002, starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley. Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra (Nagra) is a young Londoner from a traditional Punjabi Sikh family who dreams of playing football like her idol, David Beckham. Her parents expect her to prioritise education and traditional family and cultural values, however, leading to much humour and conflict as she sneaks out to play matches and pursues her friendship with Jules (Knightley), who introduces her to the women's team she plays for.

Energetic, warm and witty, Bend it Like Beckham uses football as a metaphor for freedom, ambition and integration, and expresses with brio the way second-generation immigrants have to balance family expectations with personal ambitions. All of which ensures it thoroughly transcends the "sports film" genre.