PG - Advisory: Language May Offend

PELADA—as the name implies when translated from Portuguese—is soccer in its “naked” form. Far from the carefully manicured fields and exorbitant salaries of professional soccer, PELADA follows two former college soccer stars (co-directors Luke Boughen and Gwendolyn Oxenham) on a 20-country road trip, connecting on makeshift pitches with people from every religion and tax bracket; the only common thread they all share is the love of the game. In the words of one of the film’s rougher characters, a Bolivian prisoner: “Here we have nothing. Our life is to play,” which captures the essence of this worldwide pastime—fun. All you need is air in your lungs and something round to kick.

BDG