This docudrama is based on the book of the same name by professor Chuck Korr, who came across its amazing story while searching the archives of Robben Island - the maximum-security jail famous as the place where Nelson Mandela was detained.
Lesser known, though, is the fact that this prison's inmates also managed to form their very own football league. Carried out under strict Fifa rules, the Makana Football Association eventually included 1,000 members across three divisions and many of its organisers went on to high-ranking positions in the Mandela government.
This inspirational film blends real-life interviews with dramatised sequences. The most recognisable actor is Presley Chweneyagae who starred in the Oscar-winning South African film Tsotsi. While docudramas can run the risk of coming across with a scholastic, educational feel, More Than Just a Game maintains an engaging sense of pace.
More importantly, a feature-length Hollywood style movie would not have enabled the small nuances of the league's foundation to be told. The legendary former manager of Liverpool FC once said: "Football is not just a matter of life and death, it's much more important than that." For these prisoners it became a reason to stay alive.
