What we’re watching: Mundial. The Highest Stakes

The setting? The 1982 World Cup in Spain. Oh, and Poland in 1982, which was a country under martial law. Censorship was flourishing, policemen patrolled every street, and political opposition filled every prison.

Despite such a period of darkness, its citizens found solace as they watched their team triumph and become “the best TV series of martial law Poland.” For a brief moment, citizens could escape. The game allowed a Polish nation transcend a reality that supplied nothing short of despair.

Fans from Poland and beyond marveled at the goals scored by Boniek and Smolarek, the extraordinary agility of Lato, Kupcewicz and Buncol, the spectacular goalkeeper parades of Młynarczyk. And

Using a mixture of archival footage and present-day interviews, Mundial. The Highest Stakes showcases an untold story of sport and politics in an unspeakable period in Poland’s history.

The film is showing on Wednesday at the Kicking and Screening festival, which kicks off tomorrow. AFR’s Eric Beard and Dan Leydon will be in the house taking all the cinematic calcio in, so come join us.