Directed by Uberto Pasolini

In September 2004 the entire 23-strong Sri Lanka National Handball team, in Germany for a friendly tournament, vanished. They were never seen again, disappearing into the world of illegal immigrant workers. This is an imagined, personalized version of the events leading up to that. For those who felt that Slumdog Millionaire was a rather romanticized view of the poor in the subcontinent, this film is a good antidote. Romantic and warm, yes, but the poverty is less beautiful and the feel of despair and sadness of people unable to get themselves decent lives more true.

It's a powerful but still comical portrayal of the small embarrassments and setbacks of poverty as well as the big things.Its leading figures, two friends already rebuffed and cheated out of their money in their attempt to get visas for Europe, find a flyer asking for handball teams to visit Germany for a friendly tournament. Despite knowing nothing about the sport, they gather together a disaparate group of others keen to get to Europe to work, ranging from a small time con man to a gravedigger, and set about making themselves into a credible team, calling themselves, since there is, amazingly, nothing to stop them, the national team. Not a lot of their efforts go into learning the actual game, as they plan on escaping as soon as they arrive. Things don't quite work out that way. A wonderful portrayal of decent men desperate to change their and their families' lives. And very funny too.

Seen at Transilvania Film Festival, Cluj, June 2009