Weekend Rebels

As ten-year-old Jason struggles to keep up in school because of his autism, his parents Mirco and Fatime struggle to keep up with him. When faced with being transferred to a special school against his will, Jason makes a deal with his dad: he’ll do his best to fit in, but to do so he’ll need a soccer team to root for, and Mirco will help him find one. But how will he decide before seeing every team play? All 56 of them, that is. Jason’s request sets him and Mirco off on weekly adventures across Germany to find the perfect team: one whose players don’t all wear different colored shoes, or whose fans don’t pour beer on each other, or whose mascots aren't too silly, or... 

Based on a true story, Marc Rothemund’s heartfelt film explores the quirks and passions of soccer fandom culture—its superstitions, rituals, and inner conflicts—through the eyes of a special and very discerning lover of the game. Weekend Rebels won the Youth 4 German Cinema award at the 2024 Berlin & Beyond film festival. Watch the trailer!

Streaming as a part of “Breaking Lines”. The triumphs of teamwork, broken glass ceilings, the devotion of fandom—soccer lovers of all stripes find solidarity and perseverance both on and off the field. To mark the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s arrival in North America this summer, this collection of films celebrates the empowering, unifying force of “the beautiful game”. Stream for free through July 31! 

Image © Picture Tree International GmbH