Beyond the Sidelines: The Authentic Stories of Football Fans in Christopher Ranson's New Film
With UEFA EURO 2024 kicking off this month, what better way to celebrate than by diving into the world of a group of European football fans stories, told through director Christopher Ranson's new film, Enterprise Rent-a-Car: 'All Roads Lead to Thursday', produced by Subliminal Production. It is the centrepiece of a series of six films, each delving into a different fan's story, highlighting a diverse range of experiences and emotions that make up the fabric of football fandom. Christopher goes underneath the surface to explore the deep connections between fans and their clubs and how this enriches their lives.
This film isn’t about sitting on the sidelines of a football game; it’s about the passion that fills the stands and the meaning behind being a football fan. Christopher said, “This film is about the games that haunt them or the moments that have changed their lives forever. It’s a deeply personal connection, and that is what I wanted to show in the film.” Christopher draws out this personal connection between fans and their teams by visually pairing their stories with dreamy zooms mixed with energetic and kinetic shots. This allows us to dive between the introspective thoughts shared by the subjects, but also to touch on how exhilarating football makes them and other fans feel.
With a nod to the words of Uruguayan journalist, Eduardo Galeano, one of Christopher’s cast quoted, “you can change your partner or political party, but never your football team.” Leading up to this, we experience dreamy zooms, only to be swept up into the whirlwind of excitement with fast camera movements and snappy shots, embodying the thrill of being a part of a football fanbase. The authenticity and rawness of the interviews, combined with the unique camera work and editing, create an intimate connection with the audience. This connection ties together football fans in a celebration of how supporting a team can profoundly impact their lives—something all fans can relate to.
Christopher brings this picturesque documentary to life with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, inviting us into the hearts of football fans as they share what their team means to them. This film is a poignant step for Christopher, as he pushes his work forward, forging his cinematic language and his ties with visual storytelling. The way in which the film brings together real stories, personal spaces, meaningful objects or symbols is true to Christopher's desire to bring in a greater depth to the production design or art direction in a way that is genuine to his work. Christopher continues to move deeper into the possibilities of sports and artful documentary, we look forward to seeing what he creates next.
