David Beckham's not the only one who could bring soccer to Miami in 2014.
The Miami International Film Festival announced today that its 2014 fest would premiere the movie Foosball, an animated film from Argentina by Oscar-winning director Juan José Campanella.
The film tells the story of a young man named Amadeo who fights to save his city's soccer stadium -- helped by "magical" versions of the players in his foosball table.
The move wasn't necessarily inspired by Beckham, of course; Foosball did break the Argentinian 2013 box-office record for the highest grossing film premiere, meaning MIFF's Latin-focused audiences are bound to love it as well. According to MIFF director Jaie LaPlante, premiering the film at MIFF 2014 is an "opportunity to really extend our reach to a wider audience and share with them our passion for cinema since the film is very family friendly. This year, with Foosball, we're definitely going to celebrate the family bonding aspect of cinema and add another layer to the festival."
Campanella won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010 for The Secret in Their Eyes; at the time, it was only the second time ever that a director from a Latin American country had won in that category. The Secret in Their Eyes screened at MIFF in 2010. That film told the story of a man writing a novel to rid him of demons still haunting him from an unresolved homicide case and an unrequited love.
Foosball, on the other hand, looks like a Pixar-style romp through Argentina's soccer culture -- and a pricey one, too. The film, a $20 million venture, is the most expensive Argentine movie yet made, as well as the most expensive Latin American animated feature in history.
Visit miamifilmfestival.com.
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