Streetball: South Africa's Homeless Accomplish Goals

As Cape Town, South Africa prepares to host the World Cup, Martin Africa--a homeless man and recovering drug addict--prepares a team of homeless soccer players to compete against fifty-five other countries in Melbourne, Australia. This is the premise of the provocative documentary Streetball. As an 80-minute film by Demetrius Wren, Streetball tells the story of former convicts, gangsters, orphans, and recovering drug addicts who win the chance to represent their country, South Africa, at the Homeless World Cup finals.

The stories of players are heartbreaking. There is Thapelo Kaplens, an orphan who grew up in a street home and now fights against all odds to attend college. There is Sandile Mhlongo, who was orphaned at seven and has been living on the streets since he was eighteen. And, of course, there is Martin Africa, the charismatic captain of the South African Team. After drifting between homelessness and incarceration since the age of five, Martin’s goal is to make a life for himself and his son.

More than a story about soccer or poverty or the structural forces that continue to oppress black South Africans, Streetball is a story of perseverance and hope. As a part of the 17th Annual African Film Festival, Streetball will be playing on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 at 1:00 PM. Catch this film at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater located on 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023.

Streetball - Trailer from Demetrius Wren on Vimeo.