I really don’t like NFL. I just don’t have the patience for it. And believe me, I’ve tried. I watched a game live and after what felt like the 5th timeout in 10 minutes, I lost my patience.
Having said that, I can appreciate that it’s a sport we’re good at. Pacific people have been overrepresented in American Football for decades. Over the years, names like Se’au, Polamalu, Sapolu, Kemoeatu, Tuiasosopo, Mariota and now, boom - Jarryd Hayne, have garnered interest from around the Pacific in NFL.
They also make documentaries about it (see: Polynesian Panthers and 4th & Ocean). The most recent of these documentaries, is In Football We Trust, directed and produced by Tony Vainuku and Erica Cohn.
IFWT follows four Tongan high school students in Salt Lake City, Utah, trying to make their way into America’s National Football League. Along the way the documentary sheds light on the different elements these kids have to balance and overcome being Polynesian with lofty prospects for the future.
At Pasifika Film Fest we’re so proud to have In Football We Trust as our closing night film. This will be IFWT’s Australian premiere, having already shown at Sundance Film Festival and the LA Film Festival this year. We’re keen to share the amazing stories that will be told through this and other films we’ve programmed for the festival in November.
And now that we're all San Francisco 49'ers fans, thanks to good ol' Hayne, we might all know the rules to the game by the time we watch the film. Well, except for me.. I'll be over here setting my alarm for the first game of the Rugby World Cup in 5 days. Check the trailer for IFWT below.
Koe kia!!