Thinking Football 2024 ends on a high

Thinking Football 2024 came to a close with the screenings of two very different films that encapsulate the spirit and purpose of Athletic Club Foundation's Film Festival.

‘Hamaika andra zurigorri’ (Eleven Red-and-White Women) and ‘Weekend Rebels’ are completely different features. However, both tell stories that revolve around football but at the same time are underpinned by social undertones.

Gender equality is the theme of Akaitze Kamiruag's documentary ‘Hamaika andra zurigorri’, while Marc Rothemund's German film centres around a young boy with Asperger's syndrome.

The stars of both films were at the Sala BBK and gave Thinking Football that touch glamour which is so characteristic of film festivals.

The icing on the cake was provided by the appearance of players from the women's first team and a large representation from Lezama's youth teams. In short, a brilliant climax to a festival that, for yet another year, has hung the ‘No tickets available’ sign on most screenings.

The world of Asperger's

The last film of the 12th edition of Thinking Football, ‘Weekend Rebels’, is a beautiful and touching story based on the real-life case of a child with Asperger's syndrome. Jason von Juterczenka and his father Mirco came to Bilbao to talk about a film that helps us understand the world of people with Asperger's syndrome.

The feature shows how Jason and Mirco bond as they explores Germany football stadium in search of a team to support. Over the weekend, they attended the Basque Derby at San Mames.

For a person with Asperger's, everything around them must function in an orderly and smooth way. Any aspect that alters the sensory perception of what is happening can lead to lack of control, so Athletic Club's victory over Real Sociedad was a good test for the young Jason.

"We've watched a lot of football matches, around 140. We're not only looking for our favourite team in Germany," Jason said after the screening.

"This weekend was special. The match was special because we got to know the history of Athletic Club first hand. The club opened the door for us to get to know it fully. It was the loudest match we have ever attended. In Germany, when one side sings, the other is silent, but it's not like that here.

"The whole stadium sings and chants in unison. The noise level and the acoustics at San Mames surprised us. It was an unforgettable match."

Audiovisual testimonies of historical, social, sporting and emotional value

‘Hamaika andra zurigorri’ is an audiovisual testimonial. Produced by the Labayru Foundation in collaboration with Athletic Club, Fundazioa and AC Museoa, and financed by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, it features a team (an eleven that represents hundreds) of women that have had a significant impact at Athletic Club both on and off the pitch.

Director Akaitze Kamiruaga interviewed the likes of Ane Elexpuru, Eli Ibarra, Jose Angel Iribar, Iraia Iturregi, Iñigo Juaristi, Garazi Murua, Nerea Onaindia, Nerea Ortiz, Edurne Salsamendi, Garazi Unibaso, Ana Urquijo, Ernesto Valverde and many more, in a bid to provoke the oral memory that's so important when it comes to archiving history, especially when related to women, who are so often absent from our heritage.

Many of the documentary's protagonists were present at the Sala BBK and, like the general public, were moved by the selection of testimonies and images that faithfully expressed the Athletic spirit.