2022 SXSW FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
William Herff is a drama student, and a damn good one. One day he is tasked with creating a hype video for his high school football team–but knowing very little about football, William misunderstands the assignment. What William does instead is create something emotionally captivating, socially relevant, and completely different than any hype video you’ve ever seen before. This combination of America’s most popular sport and an unassuming drama student births Football..
Football. is a unique blend of sports and theater that will likely appeal to a wide-ranging audience. On one hand thespians and athletes alike get to see what those athletes bring to the world–and who they are as people, as William aims to make a video that captures the reality of football, its players, and its coaches. He wants to ensure that the world is able to see the nuances of the people that consider football their life, and he does it in a way so that athletes see their sport in a new and enlightening way. Younger athletes can sometimes struggle to understand their teammates on an emotional level, and when they are on the field they may simply view them as athletes and nothing more. Football. aims to enlighten the world and those athletes as it expresses the fact that those players are just like everyone else. They feel pain, they can struggle emotionally, and the world in which they live is the same as yours and mine.
On the flip side, thespians can sometimes misunderstand sports. I once had a teacher, who had an affinity for theater and cinema, tell me “football is for cretins.” While he still remains one of the best teachers that I ever had in high school, his misconception of football players (or fans) is a primary focus of Football., because the reality is that he’s not the only one that feels this way. As William interviews the coach of the football team he begins to realize that the coach struggles with his emotions, and that life has thrown him a curveball like it has most of us. Football. levels the playing field for everyone, and it reaches viewers on an existential level.
Football. is a high school film, created by high schoolers, and while it has its issues regarding cinematography, and even a little regarding the acting, the existentialism present throughout the course of the film is far more mature than what one might expect from a high schooler. The content beneath the surface of the primary narrative is raw and relatable, and it reaches viewers emotionally throughout.
Herff is young, inexperienced, and has managed to find himself swimming amongst the big fish of the 2022 SXSW Film Festival. No one expects a high school student to thrive in this scenario, but Herff is a phenomenal filmmaker. His writing and directing, as well as his ability to capture the essence of the real world are uncanny–and I think he’s wise beyond his years. He has an understanding of the nuances of cinema, and his prowess and knowledge shines brightly throughout the course of Football.
I’ve never seen anything quite like Football., and Herff finds ways to appeal to a large audience. Herff has a bright future in the world of cinema, which is made clear throughout Football.. Through his writing and direction Football. takes the world by storm and combines disciplines in sports and theater–and the heartfelt message that lies within the film will surely resonate with all.
Directed by William Herff.
Written by William Herff, Nicholas Campos, & Peyton Randolph.
Starring Jack Rykert, William Herff, William Underwood, James Hawes, Will Azevedo, Peyton Randolph, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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