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| Fifa scores own goal as ‘unwatchable’ self-financed film, United Passions, flops | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| After perhaps the most ill-timed cinematic release in history, Fifa’s self-funded hagiography, United Passions, took just $607 (£397) on its opening weekend in the US. | After perhaps the most ill-timed cinematic release in history, Fifa’s self-funded hagiography, United Passions, took just $607 (£397) on its opening weekend in the US. |
| The film opened just days after US prosecutors charged 14 football officials with racketeering, money laundering and fraud to spark the crisis that forced the resignation of Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter. | The film opened just days after US prosecutors charged 14 football officials with racketeering, money laundering and fraud to spark the crisis that forced the resignation of Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter. |
| After being shown in Europe last year, the film received a limited US release at the weekend and was shown on just 10 screens. According to the Hollywood Reporter, one cinema in Phoenix recorded a gross take of $9. | After being shown in Europe last year, the film received a limited US release at the weekend and was shown on just 10 screens. According to the Hollywood Reporter, one cinema in Phoenix recorded a gross take of $9. |
| Fifa had previously confirmed that it provided $22.2m (£14.5m) of the film’s $26.1m budget and Blatter, played by Tim Roth in the movie, is believed to have approved the script. | Fifa had previously confirmed that it provided $22.2m (£14.5m) of the film’s $26.1m budget and Blatter, played by Tim Roth in the movie, is believed to have approved the script. |
| The film, which also stars Sam Neill as Blatter’s predecessor, João Havelange, and Gérard Depardieu as Jules Rimet, has received awful reviews. | The film, which also stars Sam Neill as Blatter’s predecessor, João Havelange, and Gérard Depardieu as Jules Rimet, has received awful reviews. |
| Peter Bradshaw called it “pure cinematic excrement” and “preposterous hagiography” in the Guardian, while the New York Times said it was “one of the most unwatchable films in recent memory, a dishonest bit of corporate-suite sanitising that’s not good even for laughs”. | Peter Bradshaw called it “pure cinematic excrement” and “preposterous hagiography” in the Guardian, while the New York Times said it was “one of the most unwatchable films in recent memory, a dishonest bit of corporate-suite sanitising that’s not good even for laughs”. |
| The Village Voice called it “not merely ham-fisted, but pork-shouldered, bacon-wristed, and sausage-elbowed”. | The Village Voice called it “not merely ham-fisted, but pork-shouldered, bacon-wristed, and sausage-elbowed”. |
| The whitewashed portrait of the history of Fifa, in which Blatter at one point forcefully tells his colleagues “the slightest breach of ethics will be severely punished”, was largely paid for out of the budget of the 2014 World Cup. | The whitewashed portrait of the history of Fifa, in which Blatter at one point forcefully tells his colleagues “the slightest breach of ethics will be severely punished”, was largely paid for out of the budget of the 2014 World Cup. |
| Fifa’s secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, who is now under pressure over a $10m payment from South Africa to the former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner that US prosecutors said was a bribe, sent a copy of the film to all 209 member associations last year with a letter that said it was “open, self-critical and highly enjoyable”. | Fifa’s secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, who is now under pressure over a $10m payment from South Africa to the former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner that US prosecutors said was a bribe, sent a copy of the film to all 209 member associations last year with a letter that said it was “open, self-critical and highly enjoyable”. |
| In addition to pursuing extradition proceedings against seven Fifa executives arrested in Zurich, the FBI is currently investigating the process that led to the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. | In addition to pursuing extradition proceedings against seven Fifa executives arrested in Zurich, the FBI is currently investigating the process that led to the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. |
| The film premiered at last year’s Cannes film festival but six months after its release in Europe had recouped just $190,000. | The film premiered at last year’s Cannes film festival but six months after its release in Europe had recouped just $190,000. |
| The director, Frédéric Auburtin, told the New York Times last week that the fact Fifa funded the project had made production difficult. | The director, Frédéric Auburtin, told the New York Times last week that the fact Fifa funded the project had made production difficult. |
| “Every time we are showing something about Blatter himself, it’s very, very difficult because the guy is the boss,” he said. “The guy is co-producing more than half the film, nearly 80%.” | “Every time we are showing something about Blatter himself, it’s very, very difficult because the guy is the boss,” he said. “The guy is co-producing more than half the film, nearly 80%.” |
| The chief executive of one of the production companies behind the movie, Louise Maurin of Leuviah Films, tried last year to defend United Passions over accusations that it had implausibly steered away from the recurrent scandals that have afflicted world football’s governing body down the years. | The chief executive of one of the production companies behind the movie, Louise Maurin of Leuviah Films, tried last year to defend United Passions over accusations that it had implausibly steered away from the recurrent scandals that have afflicted world football’s governing body down the years. |
| “Since this is not an investigative movie, the authors chose to make it a grand epic,” she said. “We consider the film excellent but in the cinema it is sometimes difficult for a film to find its audience. President Blatter was very touched by and satisfied with the film.” | “Since this is not an investigative movie, the authors chose to make it a grand epic,” she said. “We consider the film excellent but in the cinema it is sometimes difficult for a film to find its audience. President Blatter was very touched by and satisfied with the film.” |