We Are Moluccans (2014) - Angga Dwimas

Based on true events centered around the brutal violence between Muslim and Christian communities in Maluku, a providince of Indonesia,  which spanned years, Angga Dwimas' We Are Moluccans tells the story of Sani, a husband and father, who works as a motorbike courier in the region.  With violence and riots being the only constant in the region, Sani grows fearful of the children in his village,Tulehu, starting a small soccer school as a way of distracting the children from the violence around them.  Eventually the riots dissapate, but there is still religious tension throughout Maluku, which leads to Sani being approached to put together a team to compete in the national championship, chosen because it is believed that he is the only one that can unite players coming from different religions.  We are Moluccans is an epic story about the power of athletic competition, showing how the principles of team sports can help unite and instill hope in a region with various religious differences.  While Sani's intentions in starting the soccer school were simply as a form of escape from the bloodshed, it becomes apparent to him that this team can serve as a good example for a country that desperately needs unity.  This is a film that has a very movie-the-week, Disney crowd pleaser type feel, making the cognizant decision to keep the raw nature of the religious violence off screen. While the film has moments of headache inducing over-sentimentalty and manipulative moments, We Are The Moluccans remains compelling thanks to its main protagonist, a strong characterization of a man being pulled in many directions.  With Sani, the film reveals a man with a deep passion for soccer, whose always been considered a failure when it comes to the big moment on the field.  Sani faces plenty of hardships in his personal life due to his desire to help these young boys, with his own wife growing constantly agitated by the idea that her husband puts the team above his own family.  Sani's best friend since childhood, Rafi, also grows agitated, though neither of them understands that this is much bigger than soccer or Sani's desire to be successful. While Rafi views all accomplishment in Soccer connected with victory, Sani understands that the true power of the sport is its ability to teach character and discipline, showing this younger generation what can be accomplished together when religious and cultural differences are put aside for the betterment of the team.  Told in a straightforward way,  Angga Dwimas' We Are Mollucans can be a little bland sylistically, but it does deliver a touching true story of how team sports can teach young children the importance of teamwork and unity.

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