[ Dominic Ozanne ] 

Seth Hutchons and Thuso Phala both share a dream – to become soccer stars in the New South Africa. The difference is that Seth is white, from the suburbs of Johannesburg and Thuso is black, from the township of Soweto.  In 1999 they are both picked to play for the under13s team for Gauteng south, the province that includes both Soweto and the blue-collar area of south Jo’burg.

Shot over a period of 5 years, until both boys turn18 and South Africa’s new democracy turns 10, ‘Football & Freedom’ examines how level the playing field is.  

Seth, whose father was a professional footballer in the ‘70s, is eventually scouted by Dutch team Ajax Amsterdam who have a special academy in Cape Town but soon leaves because he has to share a dormitory with black teammates. 

Thuso, whose father taught him to play football on the streets of Soweto but who was killed in a car-hijacking just months before filming began, initially struggles. Having lost their breadwinner, he and his Mum and two sisters have to sleep on the kitchen floor of their granny’s one-bedroom house in Soweto. But finally, after much struggle and perseverance, Thuso gets a chance to play for Silver Stars - a premier league South African team.