Dual Passions: A History of Fútbol Films in Argentina, 1933–90

Throughout much of the twentieth century Argentines flocked to cinema houses. In the capital city of Buenos Aires, for example, moviegoers purchased over 55 million tickets each year between 1951 and 1953 – far outnumbering theatrical plays, horse races, and sporting events. Scholarly research has revealed the importance of film to Argentine daily life as a preferred medium for political expression by citizens, as well as an ideal tool for state propaganda. In similar fashion, studies have explored how fútbol (soccer) – a sport synonymous with weekend life in Argentina – shaped discourses about identity, attracted politicians, and, at times, served the interests of those in power. Fútbol’s mass appeal has inspired artists to write songs, create visual representations, and write stories about their favorite “crack” player or their love for a particular club team. 

Rather than separating two distinct forms of public entertainment, this paper explores the particular ties between fútbol and cinema in Argentina, from the early sound films of the 1930s to the proliferation of documentaries in recent decades. It argues that several, distinct eras in this genre emerged over the years in response to changing social and political conditions. Early films dabbled in populism and classist discourse. They portrayed fútbol as the sport of the people and vilified those “oligarchs” concerned with profit. Later films, on the other hand, were critical of the state of professional fútbol as a whole; or, at times, participated in myth making and populist nationalism. Fútbol films thus serve as time capsules. They reveal to us the concerns and anxieties of audiences and cultural producers at particular junctures of Argentine history. By charting the evolution of this genre, this paper seeks to understand the ways mass culture generated unifying images of gender, class, and national identity while simultaneously excluding others.