It’s hard to think of a time where gender equality and women’s issues were as heavily discussed in our culture as right now. The introduction of the “Time’s Up” Movement has caused a ripple of cultural introspection and soul-searching in regards to how society treats and values women. In November 2018, more than a hundred women were elected to Congress across America, making it the most women elected to Congress in the history of the United States. The past few years has seen much progress for women. But there is still much work to be done in many areas. Especially in sports.
In many parts of the world, particularly in 3rd world countries, women are still not allowed to participate in sports. Many of these countries still hold on to these archaic views of women in sports. But that hasn’t stopped these women.
In 2017, 32 female soccer players (or “football” players as they are called in some countries) from 20 different countries climbed the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and played the highest altitude game of football in history. They then traveled to Jordan near the Dead Sea and played the lowest altitude game ever.
This historic moment is recalled in the new documentary “Equal Playing Field”, Producer and directed by Amirose Eisenbach. “Equal Playing Field” is a non-profit organization created to challenge gender inequality in sports and promote sports development for girls and women globally.
The documentary, “Equal Playing Field”, tells the stories of these strong, courageous women, the struggles they faced, and the obstacles they had to overcome. Not just in sports, but in their personal lives as well. Many of these women endured the worst life has to offer: poverty, discrimination, sexual assault, abuse, and so much more. But soccer is where they feel alive. Even though the countries they grew up in discouraged them from playing, they did not listen. They followed their passions and did the impossible.
The director and producer of this film, Amirose, has faced her own struggles. Her mother passed away in 2014 from cancer. Amirose decided to leave her job at AMC Movie Talk to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a filmmaker. Even though Hollywood has not been a welcoming environment for women filmmakers for decades. But despite this, Amirose persisted and attempted the impossible. Just like the women in this documentary, Amirose listened to her heart instead of society. She traveled halfway across the world to tell these women’s stories.
The film is beautifully shot by Thomas Shawcroft, who fills every frame with beauty and authenticity. The score by Charles Goodan gives the film so much personality and soul. It would have been easy to just give the movie royalty free background music. But Charles Goodan’s music actually helps you to experience the film.
As I am writing this, the film has only been shown at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theater. It has not yet been announced where it will be screened next, or when it will be given a wide release. But if it ever plays near you, whether it’s in your local theater or it appears on Netflix, I highly encourage you to watch this. Whether you’re a fan of sports, a fan of traveling, care about gender equality, or just love films that inspire you, you will love “Equal Playing Field”. It takes you on this journey with these remarkable women and leaves you with a sense of hope and optimism. It inspires you, and makes you feel better about the world. There are many obstacles in the fight for equality. But “Equal Playing Field” gives us hope that we are closer than ever to reaching our goal towards making the world an Equal Playing Field.
No comments:
Post a Comment