The cast of NEXT GOAL WINS.
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Next Goal Wins to Premiere at TIFF – Toronto 2023

The cast of NEXT GOAL WINS. Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Written by:Danielle SolzmanPosted on:

Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi will return to TIFF for the world premiere of Next Goal Wins at the festival’s 48th edition.

Next Goal Wins is a soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker. It is the first film announced by TIFF to be making its world premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (September 7–17).“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fill until the 2026 World Cup arrives.”The TIFF Ebert Director Award recipient was last at the Festival in 2019 with the World Premiere of Jojo Rabbit. The film went on to win the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

NEXT GOAL WINS Teaser Art
NEXT GOAL WINS Teaser Art. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

The film stars Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss. The heartfelt sports comedy is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name and follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around. Searchlight Pictures will release the film later this year.More Festival details will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for TIFF 2023 go on-sale to TIFF Members by level beginning on August 18. For more details, please visit tiff.net/join. The full Festival schedule will be released in August.

The 48th Toronto International Film Festival will run September 7-17, 2023.

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Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.