Kicking It (1:38) 2008

Kicking It is a documentary about the multi national street soccer tournament. Players from forty eight countries compete for the Homeless World Cup. The film follows players and teams from Ireland, Kenya, Afghanistan, Spain and Russia. The players have become  homeless for various reasons, Irish players are homeless due to heroin epidemic, Afghanistan to the war, Kenya to abject poverty. The Russian players face an unusual challenge, the players who come from the rural areas are not recognized as citizens in St. Petersburg unless they have documents reporting they are employed and have homes. The United States has a team based out of North Carolina. Minimal statistics were given but the one that struck me is that our own country has three million homeless. The Homeless World Cup is played in South Africa on the very spot that Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Mandela has called  homelessness is the new apartheid. This is an inspirational, and at times, emotional movie. It is thrilling to see men who are considered invisible celebrating their victories by dancing around the field in their countries' colors.