In need of some inspirational sports docs? Here are two newly-cataloged DVDs scheduled to arrive on the shelves in the Library Lounge this week:
Salaam Dunk (2011)
Filmed in Northern Iraq in 2010, Dunk tells the story of the ethnically-diverse women’s basketball team at the American University of Iraq – Sulaimani (AUIS). Many of the women had never played sports before joining the team. This documentary was shown at many a film festival and won a couple awards along the way, including a Gold Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival. Check out the trailer below:
Salaam Dunk – Official Movie Trailer (YouTube)
Goal Dreams (2006)
Filmed on location in Gaza, the West Bank, Chile, Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar (and the list goes on…), this soccer doc follows the Palestinian national football team’s attempt to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. At the time of filming, the players and coaches came from different nations, spoke different languages, and had no home field to speak of. Here’s a (very brief) trailer: