Mid July saw sustainable football non-profit Football For Future team up with streaming service WaterBear, Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Northern Premier League side Tadcaster Albion AFC to launch a short film titled ‘Play On’ exploring the relationship between football and climate change.
The environmental charity worked with Spain’s Bruno Saltor Grau, the Seagull’s current first team coach and former captain, for a film showing how the world’s most popular sport is under threat as climate change threatens to disrupt the game at all levels – from amateur grassroots to the professional top tiers.
From the plight of a club at threat, to the actions of another taking a stand, the film’s message is that the only way football can carry on is to come together by showing how climate change is affecting the game and outlining what football can and is doing about it.
The film premiered on 13 July 2022 at the Aegean Film Festival in Greece and then, two days later, was made available for free streaming on WaterBear: a streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet.
The film was made through WaterBear’s ‘ReScript The Future’ competition: an initiative which offers young storytellers a chance to visualise a better tomorrow and then turn it into a short film. The competition was won by Barney Weston on behalf of Football For Future (where he is a director) and he worked on the project as the film’s Assistant Director.
A trailer for ‘Play On: Football’s Climate Story’ rolled out across social channels from 15 July backed by a PR push.
Producer Bruno Saltor Grau, Brighton & Hove Albion FC first team coach and former captain, said,
“It’s important football begins to acknowledge how climate change is going to affect our beautiful game – and that we act now,” commented Grau. “I am not perfect. My club is not perfect – we know we still have work to do, improving the club’s environmental performance, but we’re very proud of the positive changes we’ve made at Brighton so far, and to have taken part in this short film. In the Premier League, it’s our job to lead the way.”
Barney Weston, Play On Assistant Producer/Director and Football For Future Director added: “It was a real pleasure working with everyone involved on this short film. Awareness of the interrelationship between football and climate change is low, but short, dynamic and powerful content like this can make the difference. It’s extra time, but it’s not too late to score a last minute winner.”
Andrea Walji, Head of WaterBear Studios, commented: “It has been a real pleasure to be working on the Rescript The Future Competition for the second year running. At WaterBear, we love to work with young upcoming creative talents to bring new ideas to life. Barney’s application stood out as we have never explored how football can be a force for good before.
Comment
This a powerful film which shows how all footballers – from high profile stars to amateur players – are being challenged by climate change which threatens the very survival of their sport.
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