In Football We Trust — Trailer

source:   pbs.org, infootballwetrustmovie.com

added: Fri, Jan 22nd '16

Nearly a year after it premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, "In Football We Trust," an acclaimed documentary that chronicles the trials and tribulations of four Polynesian high-school football players in Salt Lake City, will be making its television debut next week on PBS, as part of the network's Independent Lens documentary series.

Directed by first-time filmmakers Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn, the documentary, which took five years to film, takes a look at the Samoan and Tongan community in Utah, exploring their Polynesian culture and its strong connection to American football. Though told through the lives of four young Polynesian athletes as they face the pressures of school sports and family responsibilities, while at the same time, try to steer away from neighborhood gangs.

"In Football We Trust" is set to air on Monday, January 25th on PBS. Check your local listings for the times in your area at pbs.org. In the meantime, watch the trailer, above.

synopsis:
In Football We Trust transports viewers deep inside the tightly-knit and complex Polynesian community in Salt Lake City, one of the chief sources of the modern influx of Pacific Islander football players to the NFL. Shot over a four-year period with intimate access, the film follows four young men striving to overcome gang violence and near poverty through the promise of American football.

Despite overwhelming obstacles, Polynesians are 28 times more likely than any other ethnic group to make it to the NFL. Some refer to this phenomenon as a calling or a gift from God; others credit genetics, socio-cultural influences, or the push and pull of global sports capitalism. Many Polynesian families have come to view football as their ticket out of economic hardship and gang life, only to discover bitter disappointment when their expectations fall short of reality.

Featuring interviews with current and former Polynesian NFL stars Troy Polamalu, Haloti Ngata, Star Lotulelei, and Vai Sikahema, In Football We Trust reveals how making it to the NFL is like winning the lottery: the odds are discouraging but the payoff can be irresistible.

 

directed by   Tony Vainuku, Erika Cohn

release date   January 25, 2016 (on PBS)