The World Cup is the biggest event in the soccer world. Running every four years, it pits the best players against each other for fortune and glory. Between its beginning and the present, it only ever skipped once, in 1942. During World War II. What if it didn’t? How could you organise a tournament when the world was at war? Where could you play when half of Europe is a smoking hole? Who would play?

IL MUNDIAL DIMENTICATO / THE LOST WORLD CUP (2011) – PROMO 2 min from nanof on Vimeo.

Taking these questions as their inspiration, directors Lorenzo Garzella and Filippo Macelloni have crafted a brilliant mockumentary, where Nazis played against native Patagonians under the watchful eye of the referee. Who was a cowboy, the son of Butch Cassidy. The teams are made up of expats, rejects, criminals, circus performers and a goalie who was probably hypnotising the opposition. The cameraman hides cameras in footballs, brains players with cranes, digs pits in the pitch and invents goal-line technology, all while pining for a beautiful Jewish girl.

It’s all nonsense of course, but it’s very entertaining nonsense. Throw in some interviews with stars like Gary Lineker, Roberto Baggio and Jorge Valdano, some wonderfully absurd subplots (including a love square between a Jew, a Nazi, a magical Patagonian and an elderly Italian photographer) and you get this brilliant meditation on the power of sport to unite and divide.

Highly recommended. Showing as part of the ICFF 2013 Toronto Film Fest.

Donal O’connor