Busboys and Poets welcomes ITVS and Indie Lens Pop Up to the Langston Room for this advanced screening of In Football We Trust. The film transports viewers deep inside the tightly-knit and complex Polynesian community in Salt Lake City, Utah, one of the chief sources for 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 Polynesian men striving to overcome gang violence and poverty through the promise of American football.
Despite overwhelming obstacles, Polynesians are 28 times more likely than any other ethnic group to make it in the NFL, a surprising statistic that the film opens with. Some refer to this phenomenon as a “calling” or a gift from God; others credit genetics, socio-cultural influences or stereotyping, or the push and pull of global sports capitalism. Many Polynesian families view football as their ticket out of economic hardship and gang life, but In Football We Trust reveals those expectations to often be unrealistic and to place insurmountable pressure on these young players. In addition to the stories of the four young athletes, the film includes footage and interviews with current and former NFL players Troy Polamalu, Haloti Ngata, Star Lotulelei, and Vai Sikahema. In Football We Trust premieres on Independent Lens Monday, February 1 at 10/9c (check local listings) on PBS. Click here to to RSVP.
The Q&A will be led by sports guest speakers: BRAD HORN, video journalist for the Washington Post and Executive Producer of “First and 17”; Rodney Cephas, Athletic and Mentoring Programs Director, Beacon House; Jeff Prudhomme, Vice President and Project Manager for the Future of Sports and Society Project at the Interactivity Foundation; and senior Sidwell Friends Quakers team player PHILIPPE SANCHEZ
About the Filmmakers
Tony Vainuku (Director) comes from a culture of third world traditions and a family of athletes. His first career aspirations began on the field as a budding professional football player from Salt Lake City, UT. After high school, he spent some time in the corporate world before enrolling at Westminster College in Utah to study business marketing in order to launch businesses around his passions of directing, writing, and filmmaking. After graduating with a B.S. in business marketing, Vainuku founded Soulprofile Productions, a multimedia company specializing in the creation of web ads, promotional video content and music production.
Erika Cohn (Producer and Co-Director) a native Utahan,grew up attending the Sundance Film Festival, where she first began her career. Although her films differ in place and time, religion and culture remain a recurring theme and her passion for social change the driving factor. In 2008, Cohn traveled to Cambodia where she shot Giant Steps, a documentary about the reinstitution of art after Khmer Rouge rule, which aired on PBS.
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a neighborhood series that brings people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS's Independent Lens, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders and organizations together to discuss what matters most, from newsworthy topics, to family and relationships. Make friends, share stories, and join the conversation. Can't attend in person? Find Independent Lens on Facebook for information on our online Pop-Up events.
