Fla x Flu

Brazil 2013, 85 min, English subtitles

Flamengo vs Fluminense – absolutely classic matches in Brazilian football. The fans of the two football clubs from Rio de Janeiro are united by a carefully fostered love-hate relationship. Often, the front lines go right through families, generations but also through social classes. The young director Renato Terra interweaves archival footage of the best goals with interviews with former global superstars like Zico and Romario and asks fans: did a Fla-Flu match change your life? He uses a gimmick to achieve something unique: in the middle of interviews he confronts his protagonists with a jersey of the opposing team. The reactions range from speechlessness and laughter to rage and genuine tears.