Summary: Anto is joined by writer and director Pablo Miralles of a brand new film that chronicles how the USA and Mexico soccer rivalry reflects the historical and current social and political issues between the two countries. The movie is titled Gringos At The Gate, a feature documentary, which examines the US–Mexico divide through the lens of their intense soccer rivalry and will lead off the Kicking + Screening film festival starting on June 27th in New York City, the premier festival which celebrates the merger of cinema and soccer in the world today. The story of Gringos at the Gate begins in late 2008 when filmmaker Pablo Miralles teamed up with fellow UCLA film school grads, award winning documentarian Michael Whalen and Mexico City native and director Roberto Donati, to produce a serious examination of the most intense soccer rivalry in North America. The result is a thorough, unbiased and entertaining look beyond the score lines and into the social and cultural conflicts that surround this truly unique international sporting event. For over three years the trio of Miralles, Whalen and Donati travelled across both countries, from the 2010 World Cup qualifiers in Columbus, Ohio and Mexico City to the 2011 Gold Cup Final in Pasadena, CA, interviewing current and former players, coaches and average fans in the street. Gringos at the Gate appeals to fans of the beautiful game as well as anyone interested in the complex issues surrounding the US–Mexico relationship. This project would not have been completed without the community support provided through the crowd-funding site Kickstarter and grants from Santa Clara University. Kicking + Screening Soccer/Football Film Festival brings together soccer and film enthusiasts to celebrate the beautiful game. K+S provides a forum for filmmakers, artists, and writers to showcase their work, uniting the millions of fans that make football the international phenomenon that it is. Tune in for some very interesting revelations and discoveries as this is a great sidebar piece to the film where we even discuss the role of history and the largely forgotten milestones that most US Soccer fans may not know, even today.
