Beitar Jerusalem is one of the most successful and controversial football clubs In Israel. It’s the darling of right-wing politicians, including prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. All because the fans, who are mostly Orthodox, take pride in the fact that no Arab footballer has ever played for their club. The ultras’ blatantly racist displays have caused media outrage all over Europe. But documentary filmmaker Maya Zinshtein takes things a step further, shining a light on the biggest scandal in the history of the club, and possibly in the entire history of Israeli football. In 2013, Beitar’s owner Arkady Gaydamak, a Russian oligarch with a shady background, signed two Muslim Chechen players. The enraged fans turned their backs on the club immediately, showing their indignation in increasingly radical ways. Legendary past heroes of the club who stood up for the new players were dubbed traitors, as was the Minister of Foreign Affairs who tried to mediate the conflict. In her fascinating film, Zinshtein reveals the ugliest face of football—full of hatred, fanaticism and violence. At the same time, she exposes a worrying interdependence between football and politics.
Maya Zinshtein
Israel Freedman
Stephen Rennicks
Zaur Sadayev, Dzhabrail Kadiyev, Eli Cohen, Arcadi Gaydamak, Ariel Harush