Det forbudte landshold (2003) User Reviews

Moving little documentary about gigantic subject

[dsduchin · 8/10 · 16 October 2005]

On the surface, a documentary about a football match between Tibet and Greenland doesn't sound like much. But when you remember that Tibet is unrecognised as a sovereign nation by 180 countries around the globe, the film begins to take on another significance. The Tibetan government in exile, based in northern India, has campaigned for the plight of the Tibetan people to be recognised since 1959. This campaign has fallen on mostly deaf ears. In what may be called a desperate attempt to make the general public listen, several Danish football enthusiasts launched a campaign to organise and train a Tibetan national team, and bring them to Denmark for a match against Greenland - a country only semi-autonomous from Denmark, but which possesses its own national team. This documentary focuses on the training of the team in India, and the political debate in Denmark leading up to the match. The Chinese government threatened sanctions against both Denmark and Greenland if the game was played, and FIFA refused to recognise the match. Tibetan players from all over Europe were denied visas to join the team in Denmark, as their host countries feared reprisals and fines from FIFA. A simple game of football became an international political event. The film focuses mainly on the players of the Tibetan team. Not their lives, or any discussion of how difficult things are for them, and hardly any mention of Tibetan-Chinese relations. Instead the film makers chose to record the emotional impact of what was most likely the most monumental occasion of their lives. This documentary achieves its goal, illuminating governmental hypocrisy with something akin to peaceful, non violent protest - the hallmark of the Tibetan resistance - in the form of a football match. Technically, the film is sound documentary work. There are no experiments, no unusual techniques, just straightforward reporting. Given the sensitivity of the subject, this impersonal technique seems appropriate.

Interesting doco, probably "important", but not much of a film..

[wombat_1 · 9 August 2004]

This short documentary is about what is undoubtedly the worst mix of politics and sport. Tibet wants to play an international soccer match. They find an opponent in the shape of Denmark. Why Denmark? We're not told.

But China doesn't want there to be Tibetan soccer team on the grounds that "Tibet is part of China", and tries to exert political and economical pressure on Denmark by the crudest possible method: threatens exports from Denmark. And the Tibetans live in exile in India, so they have to deal with the Indian government, which is understandably nervous about irritating China.

A fascinating look at the politics, geography, economics and demographics of three countries: Tibet, India and Denmark. And you thought staging a backyard football game was tricky!!!!