Out on the street its every man/woman for themselves. On the asphalt there is no room for two, only one can exist. Inside the colosseum-like cage it is demanded that you attack your opponent ruthlessly. Inside; Should you become a victim, the thumbs will turn down and it is off with your head. There is no weight class, no medics, no second leg for your reputation. The atmosphere is more brutal than some of the most imposing stadiums around the world, and yet everyone who is a part of this important film smiles when they speak about Ballon sur Bitume.
Concrete Football (in English translation)is a documentary set mainly in Paris (there are subtitles available) which focuses on the street ballers and the starting point of their relationship with football. It displays the melting pot street football plays in bringing an array of players to display not just their technical and dribbling abilities, but also camaraderie, family, humility and collective passion for the beautiful sport. The documentary shows that there is passion for the game from the highest level to kids who are in their primary years of education.
A documentary on football usually (conveniently) invites phrases such as “More than football” and words like “culture”, which correctly applies this documentary. However, this documentary is or at least starts off as a “come with me, see how we live” type film. Yard Agency; who made the documentary, have made a piece which for some no matter what country they are from can resonate with. For others it will give an insight into a part of a culture they have never understood.
There are top level international football players involved in this film; such as Yacine Brahimi (Porto x Algeria), Mehdi Benatia (Juventus x Morocco) and Serge Aurier (Tottenham x Ivory Coast). In Concrete Football most of the professional players only serve as “back-ups” and supporting casts, the real stars are the kids punching above their weight, the teens displaying cutting edge technique, and the adults who discuss the process and what their roles are when it comes to cultivating the street ballers into potential football/futsal players. The cross cutting from children dribbling on concrete pitches to football stars talking about how they came up, shows the viewer the thin line it is between a street baller and the accomplished professional player — a line that is very difficult to cross. Throughout we are constantly reminded of this.
The tone is set for the rest of the documentary in the opening credits. The backing soundtrack is a sort of European classical music that usually accompanies aristocracy. What you see is: kids in jeans wear executing rabonas with ease, graffiti back drops, various football jerseys (some basketball ones as well) and mostly Non-European/African ballers of all ages. A truly great opening scene. They are the concrete football aristocracy.
Not long after the opening credits Riyad Mahrez tells us that his friends were like his guinea pigs when they were on the concrete pitch. Shortly after that you hear the classical music again, signalling to you are about to see something special. 4:43–5:35, these 52 seconds contain some of my favourite scenes in the whole documentary. It is the micro version of what football is about on the ground. This is quintessential 5 a side football heaven. In this scene if your attention is not caught for a multitude of reasons, then eye opening football is not for you. Just to emphasise the point, we are shown Mahrez and Ousmane Dembele performing some of the skills displayed on the asphalt in their respective league games.
Another interesting aspect of the film is the contrast between camaraderie and competitiveness. In their respective suburbs and post codes there is a real sense of tight knit friendship and brother/sisterhood (girls are included in the male dominated crews). However, once you are in the cage or on the concrete, you better not lose or worse nutmegged. Ruthlessness and mental steel are what decide whether you get to go home with an earful/mindful of “rags” or not. Whether you are the butt of jokes or not.
The abuse that comes from the spectators from around the block is reminiscent of those that come from the stands in stadia around the world. The fact that they are close in proximity and come from people who are your neighbours, makes it even more intense. Its kill or be killed (not literally). If you get nutmegged you better make sure you flip flap-nutmeg that person, or something to put your opponent on their bum. Some of the kids who come through this are shaped by these experiences, and hopefully it prepares them for a life in professional football (in one shape or another). The professionals testify to this.
Throughout the film the professional footballers are given a chance to talk about where they came from and what their hood/street football means to them. Serge Aurier candidly talks about his area Sevran and how he wore a shirt with the “Sevran” displayed on it when PSG won the title. A small but important gesture.
The doc also makes time for those who are involved in street football by helping kids to stay on difficult path to the professional game. Also those who financially help kids to play for clubs. We meet a guy called Yannick Mendy who tells us briefly about his life and how he wasn’t able to pursue his dream in football, so what he does is help other kids financially. A famous example he cites is Gianneli Imbula (He has played for Marseille x Porto x Stoke City). Yannick notes that Imbula comes back to help in his old area.
Culture. It is synonymous with Concrete Football. Football, rap and nice (fly) clothing mesh together in this film. The three coexist together to make it all the more appealing to the wider audience — If you are a fan of adidas, you may not agree! Yard also interview French rappers such as MHD, Niska and Gradur. They discuss their love and affiliation for concrete football, how it features in their raps, but more importantly how it brings people together of different backgrounds.
Common techniques I noticed being used where the use of slow motion and the camera sometimes prying through the cage rather than being inside and getting a clear view. The slow motion is almost always used when the ball is at someone’s feet. It is great for the viewer because the can see the ingenuity of some of the skills displayed which is sometimes quicker than the eye. The camera prying through the cage makes the viewer feel like they are the spectator of what is going on inside the cage, a very personal affect, or maybe the cameramen were scared of getting hit by the ball?
The key word used a lot in Ballon Sur Bitume is freedom. Freedom to express, freedom from barriers, freedom from typical society. Many of the people in this film live with barriers to a lot of things in life. Watching this, you wouldn’t even know it. Most of the aspirants may never become financially rich like some of the professional players but it doesn’t matter because they are rich in spirit and friendship. They are surrounded by concrete and steel. In some aspects of life that is a negative but not when it comes to Concrete Football. Yard have done a good job of giving people an insight into this way of life. If you need any more convincing see the trailer below. You can view the full film on Netflix using your cousins log in!
