BendItLikeBeckham

BendItLikeBeckham-Synopsis:Jess Bahmra idolizes professional Bri;sh football player DavidBeckham.ButJessisdifferentfrommostfans;she'satalentedplayerinherownright.Unfortunately,hertradi;onalIndianSikhparentshaveotherplansfortheiryoungestdaughter.TheyexpectJesstogotouniversityandfollowin the footsteps of her sister, Pinky, who is preparing to marry in atradi;onalIndianSikhwedding.

When Jess meets Jules, who plays for a localfemalefootballteam,shepursuesherowndreamand begins to play, keeping her par;cipa;on asecret from her parents and oLen leading todisastrousresults.Ul;mately,Jesshastodecidewhethertolivelifeon her terms or act in accordance with herparents'wishes.

BendItLikeBeckhamThefilmaddressesarangeofissuesonculture,religion,tradi;on,stereotying,andprejudice&discrimina;on.

Youwillalsobewri;ngafilmreviewattheendwhichrequiresyoutodiscusstheseissues.

BendItLikeBeckhamChapterSynopsis

ChapterSynopsis

Chapter1(00)–Introduc;ontocharacters,seXngofsceneincludingprepara;onsforPinky’sweddingChapter2(6min)–JessandJulesfirstmeet,Pinky&finance’sSikhengagementparty.Chapter3(11min)–JessgoestoseeJules’teamtrainandgetsaccepted,Jules’mumexpressesherdislikeforJules’interestinsport.Chapter4(15min)–JessgoestoherfirsttrainingsessionChapter5(20min)–Jessistoldbyherparentsthatshemuststopplayingfootballnowthatsheisayoungwoman,butJesssecretlygoestothenexttrainingsessionnonetheless.Chapter6(26min)–JesskeepstrainingunderthepretenceofhavingajobatHMV,Pinkyfindsout.Chapter7(30min)–Jules&Jessgoshoppingforfootballboots,JulesshowsJesshowwomen’sfootballhadamuchhigherstatusintheUSA.

Chapter8(36min)–JessmeetsJules’mum,duetoamisunderstandingPinky’sengagementisbrokenoff,PinkytellsherparentsthatJesshass;llbeenplayingforthefootballteam.Chapter9(40min)–Jessdoesn’tgototraining,JoegoesroundtospeaktoMr&MrsBhamrabutistoldJesscannotplayfortheteam.Chapter10(43min)–Jess&Pinkypretendtotheirparentstobevisi;ngacousinsothatJesscangotoHamburgwiththefootballteambutgetcaught,JulescatchesJesstryingtokissJoeandtheyfallout.Chapter11(50min)–JessdiscussesissueswithPinky,thenwithJoeChapter12(55min)–JessvisitsJulestomakeamendsbuttheyenduparguing,Jules’mumoverhearsandthinkstheyhavebeengirlfriendsthathavejustsplitup,TonytellsJesshe’sgay.Chapter13(1:00)–JessgetssentoffwhenlosinghertemperwhenanopponentcallsheraPaki,Pinky’smarriageisbackonbutthedateisthesameasthefootballteam’sgameatthefinals.Chapter14(1:08)–JulesgoesroundtotellJessthatanAmericanscoutwillbeatthefinal,Jules’mumrealisessheneedstobesuppor;veofJules’ambi;ons

Chapter15(1:11)–JessgetsherA-Levelresults,celebra;onsforPinky’sweddingbeginandJoegoesroundtotellMrBhamraaboutthetalentscout.Chapter16(1:19)–DuringPinky’sweddingJessmakesthe2ndhalfofthematchwithMrBhamra’sapprovalandscoresapenaltygoaltowinthematch.Chapter17(1:26)–BackattheweddingJessisaccusedbyJules’mumofbeingalesbianChapter18(1:32)–Jessexplainstoherfamilythatshehadplayedatthefinalandbeenacceptedforascholarship,MrBhamrarealisesthatwhilsthehadallowedhisexperiencesofracismputanendtohisambi;ontoplaysportheshouldsupportJessinherdecisions,MrsBhamraalsogivesconsent.Chapter19(1:36)–JessandJulesleavefortheUSAandsaytheirfarewellsattheairportwhentheyspotDavidBeckham.Chapter20(1:42)–credits

SolvetheanagramsbelowrelatedtosomeoftheissuesraisedinthefilmBendItLikeBeckham:

miracs

reedcupij

boomhohapi

minidrascitino

nortitadi

lecturu

yensettorpignidyetti

quitealy

SolvetheanagramsbelowrelatedtosomeoftheissuesraisedinthefilmBendItLikeBeckham:

racism

prejudice

homophobia

discrimination

tradition

culture

stereotypingidentity

equality

Jess Jules Pinky Joe

Tony Paula(Jules'mum)

Mr&MrsBhamra

stereotypingprejudice racismreligion

culturetradi;on

iden;ty

homophobia choicediscrimina;on

sexism

equality

modernsocietyWhatexamplesarethereofhowtheissuesoppositeaffectthesecharactersinthefilm?

ISSUESRAISEDINTHEFILM

DISCUSSIONPOINTS

• The Sikh religion has taught since its beginnings that men andwomenareequal.WhydothinkMrandMrsBhamradon't likeJessplayingfootball?

• HowmuchdothecharactersofJessandPinkyfolloworrespecttheirtradi;onalIndianSikhheritage?

• Howimportantisittopreservetradi;onsandculturaliden;ty?

• Whatpointsareraisedbythefilmonthethethemeofgrowingupinatradi;onalethnicminorityfamilyinmodernBritain?

• Isthereeithersexualin/equalityorsexisminsport?

• Is the racism Joe experiences the same as the racism Jessexperiences?

• Whycan'tTonybeopenaboutbeinggay?Howmighthefeelaboutthis?

• Howdoyouthinksomecharactershavechangedbytheendof thefilm?

BENDITLIKEBECKHAMWRITINGAFILMREVIEW

Writeareviewforafilmmagazine.Youwillneedtowriteashort introduc;onexplaining to readers what the film isabout, and can give a very briefsummary of the plot and who thesignificantcharactersare.

You could then give answers to the interviewer'sques;ons on the next slide. Aim to give extendedanswers, meaning that you should try to explainyour answers in detail. For example you could usequotes or events from the film to support youranswer or give arguments that fit with Jess'characterandthetypeofpersonsheisportrayedasinthefilm.

INTERVIEWER'SQUESTIONS:

1)WhydoesJesscomeintoconflictwithherparentsaboutplayingfootball?2)Doesherplayingagainstherparents’wishesmeanthatsheeitherdoesn’trespectthemortheirculture,tradi;onsandbeliefs?3)DoyouagreewithJessdeceivingherparentsinordertocon;nueplayingfootball?4)Whatdoyouthinkthefilmissayingabouttheissueofgrowingupinatradi;onalfamilybutfacedwithaverydifferentworldoutside?

5)HowfardoyouthinkJessbelievesthatBri;shAsianslikeherselfshouldques;on,challengeorchangethetradi;onstheyhaveinherited?6)Whataresomeoftheotherissuesraisedbythefilm?

IssuesofEqualityinSikhism:Sikhismisareligionwhichemphasisesequalitybetweenpeople.Thisisshowninanumberofways,including:

•Fromthereligion'sbeginnings500yearsago,bothmenandwomenhavebeenseenaseligible(ableandallowed)toactasareligiousleaderfortheircommunity.

•WhenGuruNanakstartedthereligionhesaidthattherewasnodifferencebetweenMuslimsandHindus(thesetwomainreligiousgroupsinIndiawereoLeninviolentconflictatthe;me;hewastryingtoshowthattheyhadnoneedtofightoverreligiousdifferences)andSikhsstronglybelievethatallreligionsareequallyvalid-theyaredifferentwaysofworshipping/followingthesameGod.

•DuringthemealservedaLertheSikhreligiousserviceattheGurdwara,onlyvegetarianfoodisserved(theLangaristhenameofthiscommunalkitchen&diningarea),soeventhoughsomeSikh’seatmeat(thereligionteachesitisapersonalchoice)regardlessofyourreligiousorpersonalbeliefsyoucanshareinthismeal.

•BothduringtheserviceandaLerwardsduringthemeal,everybodysitsonthefloortoshowthatnoonepersonisaboveanother.

Therefore,thefollowingques;onraises:

If Sikhism is a religion based onequality, why is it that in the filmBend It Like Beckham Jess' (Sikh)parentsdonotwantorallowhertoplay football - oLen referring toreasons (amongst others) thatbecausesheisagirl/youngwomanitisnotappropriateforhertoplay?To what extent do you think theculture (as opposed to religion) ofJess’parents isacontribu;ngfactortothewaytheythinkandfeelaboutJessplayingfootball?

Someotherques;onstoconsiderthatyoucoulddiscussinyourfilmreviewtodevelopyourwork(youdonothavetoanswerallofthem:onewell-exploredideacanbeasgoodapieceofworkasonethatcoversmany)

•Whatisit/mightitbeliketobelongtoatradi;onalcultureyetlivinginmodernBritain?

•WheremighttherebeaconflictofaXtudes,beliefs,valuesetc.?

•Whattradi;onalvaluesinBritainhavechangedordisappearedinmodernsociety?

•WhymightparentsofethnicorreligiousminoriteslivinginmodernBritainwanttobringtheirchildrenupina[cultural/religious]tradi;onalway(i.e.speakingthetradi;onallanguageathome,followingthebeliefs,customs,tradi;ons,dresscodeetc.oftheircountryoftheir[ancestral]origin)?

•Aretherebenefitsoradvantagesofhavingatradi;onal[cultural/religious]upbringing?

•Inwhatwaysmightatradi;onal[cultural/religious]upbringingbeconfusingoraconflictforayoungpersonwholives'twodifferentlives'(thetradi;onaloneathomeandamodernonewhenatschooloroutwithfriends)?Doyouthink(frompeopleyouknow)thatitisconflic;ngorconfusing?

•Arethereanyotherdisadvantagesorproblemswithhavingatradi;onal[cultural/religious]upbringing?

•Inthefilm,Jess’parentsappeartobeconcernedaboutwhattherestoftheIndian/Sikhcommunitywillthink(bothaboutPinky’ssexualbehaviourandJess’footballing)?Whydoyouthinkthisis?Doyouthinkitinfluences(orputspressureon)eithertheywaytheythinkorthedecisionstheymake?Towhatdegree(isitthemaininfluenceorarethereothermoresignificantreasons)?Aretheyrighttotaketherestoftheircommunity’sopinionaboutthemintoconsidera;on?

•Alotoftheevents,orthingswefindout,inthefilmraisevariousissuesabouttradi;on,culture,iden;ty,respect,stereotyping,prejudiceanddiscrimina;on,racism,homophobia,obediencetoyourparents(ortradi;onalculture/religion)vs.living‘yourownlife’,andmarriage.Whereorhowaretheseissuesraisedinthefilm?Doyouthinktheyaredealtwithrealisi;cally?Doanyofthemresultinamoralormessage?Aretheyonesthatyouagreewith?