Tom Meets Zizou

The first longterm documentary on a German pro-footballer: Between 2003 and 2011, director Aljosha Pause followed young player Thomas Broich, who at the age of 22 was considered one of Germany′s most promising new talents and whose unusual interest in classical music and the arts made him an instant media darling. Alas, he never really got his breakthrough in the Bundesliga, and the film recounts the high hopes, failures and self-doubts – but also the prevailing of a dream. At the time, it sheds a light on the not-so glamorous aspects of the pro league with its market mechanisms and media hype, which Broich eventually couldn′t cope with. But instead of giving up, he signed with an Australian club – and thus kept his love for the game.