Beckham attends screening of ‘Save Our Squad’ by DFI

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) organised a special screening of the factual entertainment series, Save our Squad starring global sporting icon David Beckham for the jurors of the Ajyal Film Festival, in the presence of DFI chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and other distinguished guests.
Co-produced by Studio 99 and Twenty Twenty for Disney+, the inspirational series follows Beckham as he returns to his roots in East London to mentor a struggling under-14s football team playing in the same league that Beckham himself played in as a boy. The screening was followed by a panel discussion.
In a press statement, DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said: “It was an honour to collaborate with David Beckham and Studio 99 on this very special and inspiring screening for our Ajyal family."
Addressing the young audience in Doha, Beckham stated that ‘Save Our Squad with David Beckham’, was a “personal project for him.
“It enabled me to work with people where I grew up and give back to the game that has given me so much. It was important for me to go back to East London and when I heard about the Westward Boys (an under-14 grassroots side from East London), I immediately wanted to be a part of it. It wasn’t easy for the boys, but I got to know them the way I never would and that was very special for me.”
The documentary, streaming on Disney+, portrays Beckham’s experience mentoring the Westward Boys. From heroics to heartbreak and failure to redemption, the experiences that Westward Boys, their coaches and their families go through over the course of the season strikes an emotional chord, as Beckham intended.
‘Save Our Squad with David Beckham’ is co-produced by Beckham’s production company Studio 99, and the beginning of several exciting upcoming projects.
“I am proud to say that we are filming some scenes here in Doha for a project about the history of Adidas and Puma. It is a very interesting story, which has never been told in the way that we are doing so now."
Addressing the panel with Beckham, Qatari filmmaker AJ al-Thani said one of her biggest inspirations was football and Beckham. Qatar-based Palestinian filmmaker Mo’men said films play a vital role in promoting cultural exchange.