Overview

• Taika Waititi's new film, 'Next Goal Wins', is a return to his roots in low-budget character comedies, telling the story of the American Samoa national football team's journey from a humiliating loss to a chance at redemption.
• The film is based on the 2014 documentary by Brett and Steve Jamison, and features Michael Fassbender as Thomas Rongen, the coach tasked with turning the team around.
• Much of the film was improvised, with entire scenes and subplots created on the fly, a process that Waititi says allowed for a lot of new ideas and flexibility.
• The film also highlights the story of Jaiyah Saelua, a fa'afafine player on the team, played by nonbinary actor Kaimana. Saelua made history as the first openly trans and nonbinary athlete to compete in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
• Despite some criticism over its depiction of transgender characters, the film has been praised for its representation and for shedding light on a culture rarely seen in major Hollywood films.