Kickoff is a 77-minute documentary filmed in Kyrgyzstan and produced between Germany and Spain. Directed by non-debut filmmakers Roser Corella and Stefano Obino, it focuses on women’s football as an instrument of social and cultural emancipation.
The story takes place in a small mountain village in Kyrgyzstan, where rigid local traditions impose domestic roles on women and severely limit their participation in public life. In this context, Gazi – the film’s protagonist – decides to organise a women’s football tournament, openly challenging the constraints imposed by society.
Through Gazi and the women involved in the initiative, the documentary offers an authentic portrait of everyday resistance and the desire for self-determination. The protagonists appear as themselves, and the narrative closely follows training, the event’s organisation and the resulting social conflicts.
Kickoff highlights highly topical themes such as women’s emancipation, courage, solidarity and social change. The sporting initiative becomes the symbol of a broader struggle for women’s rights in traditionally patriarchal contexts.
Completed on 9 February 2025, the film is not a student project. It was made with the contribution of professional German and Spanish productions and distributed by Moving Mountains Films.
Film Information
Title: Kickoff
Original title: Kickoff
Director: Roser Corella, Stefano Obino
Country: Germany, Spain
Language: Kyrgyz
Running time: 77 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Sport featured: Football
Protagonist(s): Gazi and the tournament participants
Completion date: 9 February 2025
Distributor: Moving Mountains Films
Shooting format: Colour
Director’s first film: No
Student project: No