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球 愛 熱 潮 瘋 魔 英 國 贏 盡 影 評 觀 眾 心

比 < 跳 出 我 天 地 > < BJ 單 身 日 記 > 更 受 歡 迎

《 我 愛 碧 咸 》 打 正 旗 號 是 英 國 出 品 ， 在 老 家 甫 公 映 便 高 踞 英 國 電 影 流 行 榜 的 首 位 ， 比 《 跳 出 我 天 地 》 、 《 光 豬 六 壯 士 》 來 得 更 震 撼 ； 公 映 十 一 個 星 期 便 贏 得 一 千 一 百 八 十 萬 英 鎊 ( 約 一 億 四 千 五 百 萬 港 元 ) 的 票 房 成 績 。 而 最 叫 人 矚 目 的 是 ， 它 竟 令 全 球 影 評 人 、 觀 眾 齊 聲 高 喊 ： 「 我 愛 碧 咸 ！ 」

" 光 芒 四 射 … . 一 部 令 人 鼓 舞 的 喜 悅 傑 作 " Sunday Express

" 極 度 清 新 有 趣 ， 自 < BJ 單 身 日 記 > 後 最 佳 英 國 喜 劇 " Daily Mail

" 討 人 歡 喜 ， 令 人 感 動 媲 美 < 跳 出 我 天 地 > " Sunday Times

" 雖 列 作 喜 劇 ， 但 《 我 愛 碧 咸 》 同 時 亦 是 部 傑 出 的 足 球 電 影 ，

拼 勁 中 充 滿 熱 鬧 與 溫 馨 ， 演 出 者 的 細 膩 演 繹 實 在 值 得 擊 節 拍 掌 ；

而 碧 咸 更 應 以 《 我 愛 碧 咸 》 為 榮 " BBC Jamie Russell

故 事 大 綱 ：

球 場 內 外 ， 碧 咸 的 魅 力 確 實 都 不 可 擋 ， 他 的 招 牌 「 香 蕉 射 球 」 ( 內 彎 妙 射 入 球 ) ， 更 是 瘋 魔 萬 千 球 迷 的 必 殺 技 。 生 長 在 英 國 曼 徹 斯 特 的 印 裔 家 庭 ， 十 八 歲 的 謝 茜 迷 碧 咸 不 在 話 下 ， 不 但 發 夢 也 夢 見 自 己 和 偶 像 踢 波 ， 更 夢 想 能 和 偶 像 一 樣 ， 在 足 球 場 上 ， 踢 出 我 天 地 。 一 天 ， 謝 茜 給 當 地 女 子 足 球 隊 的 隊 長 祖 絲 看 中 ， 邀 她 加 入 球 隊 。 一 支 女 子 足 球 隊 於 是 靜 靜 起 革 命 ， 無 論 腳 法 ， 隊 形 都 有 姿 勢 兼 有 實 際 ， 祖 絲 和 謝 茜 這 對 雙 妹 嘜 更 成 為 隊 中 的 最 佳 拍 檔 ， 球 來 球 往 ， 衝 鋒 陷 陣 ， 合 拍 度 儼 如 巴 西 的 朗 拿 度 和 李 華 度 ， 為 進 軍 美 國 女 子 足 球 而 努 力 ， 誰 說 女 子 的 一 雙 腳 只 會 穿 高 跟 鞋 。 然 而 ， 傳 統 的 父 母 不 明 白 女 兒 怎 麼 總 是 紮 紮 跳 ， 怎 不 循 規 蹈 矩 ， 正 正 經 經 讀 書 ， 學 好 做 一 手 印 度 薄 餅 chapatti ， 然 後 像 她 姊 姊 佩 琪 一 樣 ， 找 個 男 朋 友 ， 到 時 到 候 便 結 婚 生 子 。 其 實 他 們 並 不 知 道 ， 偷 偷 練 波 的 謝 茜 ， 除 了 碧 咸 之 外 ， 原 來 早 有 意 中 人 … …

製 作 花 絮 ：

一 切 從 世 界 盃 開 始 。 一 九 九 八 年 在 法 國 舉 行 的 世 界 盃 足 球 賽 令 英 國 上 下 沸 騰 ， 古 蓮 達 查 達 眼 睜 睜 看 著 英 國 人 如 何 為 一 個 小 小 的 皮 球 ， 舉 國 為 之 瘋 狂 ， 情 緒 也 被 牽 引 著 ， 跟 著 的 歐 洲 國 家 盃 也 不 遑 多 讓 。 古 蓮 達 於 是 想 到 把 足 球 的 活 力 和 魅 力 注 入 電 影 ， 於 是 構 思 了 這 個 故 事 。 一 個 是 迷 碧 咸 迷 得 要 死 的 印 裔 女 孩 ， 一 個 是 以 美 國 女 子 足 球 員 Mia Hamm 為 偶 像 的 英 國 女 孩 ， 在 足 球 場 上 ， 弄 出 連 篇 笑 話 。

導 演 ： 古 蓮 達 查 達 (Gurinder Chahda)

拍 紀 錄 片 起 家 的 英 籍 印 裔 女 導 演 古 蓮 達 查 達 ， 早 年 為 英 國 BBC 電 台 和 第 四 台 (Channel 4) 拍 攝 的 紀 錄 片 已 多 次 獲 獎 。 古 蓮 達 的 第 一 部 長 片 《 Bhaji on the Beach 》 馬 上 使 她 為 國 際 所 認 識 ， 並 贏 得 盧 卡 洛 電 影 節 的 評 審 獎 。 第 二 部 電 影 《 What ' s cooking? 》 與 《 跳 出 我 天 地 》 雙 雙 被 英 國 觀 眾 投 票 選 為 全 年 最 受 歡 迎 的 電 影 。 《 我 愛 碧 咸 》 (Bend it like Beckham) 是 古 蓮 達 查 達 第 三 部 長 片 ， 選 取 足 球 作 為 題 材 ， 電 影 在 英 國 上 映 時 亦 備 受 歡 迎 。

編 劇 ： Guljit Bindra

編 劇 Guljit Bindra 本 身 也 是 碧 咸 的 超 級 球 迷 ： 「 除 了 是 超 級 球 星 外 ， 碧 咸 也 是 印 裔 女 人 心 中 的 完 美 形 像 。 他 愛 太 太 ， 是 個 好 父 親 ， 更 重 要 的 是 ， 碧 咸 改 變 了 人 們 對 傳 統 大 大 隻 只 有 腳 力 的 足 球 員 的 看 法 。 」 碧 咸 挑 戰 男 性 足 球 員 的 典 型 ， 正 如 導 演 在 電 影 中 挑 戰 一 般 人 對 女 性 的 形 像 。 碧 咸 的 一 記 反 地 心 吸 力 的 「 香 蕉 射 球 」 ， 輕 輕 一 扭 ， 令 旁 人 無 可 抵 擋 ， 妙 射 入 網 ， 踢 球 看 球 的 無 不 折 服 。 電 影 裡 在 傳 統 環 境 長 大 ， 為 足 球 瘋 狂 的 女 孩 們 ， 也 是 在 實 現 夢 想 的 過 程 中 ， 巧 妙 地 扭 轉 了 傳 統 的 規 條 ， 踢 出 我 天 地 。

攝 影 指 導 ： 林 良 忠 （ Jong Lin ）

開 拍 之 前 ， 劇 中 的 演 員 都 需 接 受 嚴 格 的 足 球 訓 練 。 本 片 的 攝 影 指 導 林 良 忠 （ Jong Lin ） 是 李 安 低 一 班 的 同 學 ， 曾 擔 任 《 推 手 》 、 《 喜 宴 》 和 《 飲 食 男 女 》 的 攝 影 。 林 良 忠 設 計 了 能 捕 捉 低 角 度 、 快 速 的 鏡 頭 的 Wego ， 更 帶 給 觀 眾 一 個 新 的 視 覺 ， 使 電 影 中 的 球 賽 更 迫 真 。

演 員 ：

導 演 找 來 一 班 青 春 活 力 的 年 輕 女 演 員 ， 演 繹 電 影 中 的 女 子 足 球 員 。 飾 演 謝 茜 巴 瑪 的 印 裔 演 員 柏 美 達 娜 拉 (Parminder Nagra) 曾 演 出 BBC 電 視 台 和 ITV 的 片 集 。 演 女 子 足 球 隊 隊 長 祖 絲 的 姬 拉 麗 莉 (Keira Knightley) 曾 在 《 星 球 大 戰 前 傳 ： 魅 影 危 機 》 中 演 出 ， 英 國 女 子 樂 隊 All Saints 的 歌 手 Shaznay Lewis 也 粉 墨 登 場 ， 飾 演 女 球 員 Mel 。 導 演 更 找 來 印 度 名 演 員 Anupam Kher 演 女 主 角 謝 茜 的 父 親 。

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Kintop Pictures Presents
In association with The Film Council and Filmfoerderung Hamburg and
With the participation of BskyB and British Screen
And in association with Helkon SK, The Works, and Future Film Financing
A Kintop Pictures/Bend it Films/Roc Media/Road Movies co-production
A Gurinder Chadha Film

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

Parminder Nagra
Keira Knightley
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Anupam Kher
Archie Panjabi
Shaznay Lewis
Frank Harper
and
Juliet Stevenson

Directed by Gurinder Chadha
Screenplay by Gurinder Chadha, Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges
Produced by Deepak Nayar and Gurinder Chadha

Running Time: approx. 112 mins

INTRODUCTION

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is the third feature from award winning writer/director Gurinder Chadha. Her debut film 'Bhaji on the Beach', won her the Evening Standard British Film Award for 'Best Newcomer to British Cinema' in 1994, as well as a BAFTA nomination for Best British Film. 'Bhaji on the Beach' has also won numerous international awards and her second film 'What's Cooking?', opened the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for 'Best British Director' and 'Best British Screenplay', in this year's London Film Critics Circle Awards.

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM boasts an exciting array of British talent which includes newcomer Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley (The Hole, Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Velvet Goldmine, Prozac Nation), Juliet Stevenson (Truly Madly Deeply, Emma), Frank Harper (Lucky Break, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels), award winning songwriter Shaznay Lewis (of pop group All Saints) and, making his debut appearance in an English language feature, Bollywood superstar Anupam Kher. The film is co-produced by Deepak Nayar, whose extensive credits include the Oscar nominated 'Buena Vista Social Club'.

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Eighteen year-old Jess's parents want her to be a nice, conventional Indian girl. But she just wants to play football like her hero, David Beckham. For Jess, that means kicking a ball around the local park with the lads until she's spotted by Jules, who invites her to join the local women's football team. The girls are the same age and they share the same dreams. As they become firm friends, their team really starts to go places.

But Jess's parents don't understand why she won't settle down, study for law school and learn to cook the perfect chapatti. Why, they wonder, can't she be more like her sister, Pinky, who's engaged to a very suitable young man? If they only knew what Pinky gets up...

Jules dreams of playing pro-football in the United States, but her Mum wishes she could be a bit more girlie - how is she ever going to find a boyfriend if she won't put on a dress? What her Mum doesn't know is that Jules isn't interested in playing the field - she's just after one man, Joe, but being the team coach, Joe is out of bounds.

LONG SYNOPSIS

Old Trafford; Manchester United are playing to a charged home crowd. David Beckham passes the ball to a traditional Indian looking girl Jess (PARMINDER NAGRA), who sticks the ball into the back of the net. The crowd go mad, Beckham runs over to Jess, who beams to the crowd cheering out her name until she realises it is her mum (SHAHEEN KHAN), yelling at her to help in the kitchen.

Jess is the polar opposite of her older 22-year-old tarty sister Pinky (ARCHIE PANJABI), who is due to wed her long-term boyfriend Teetu (KULVINDER GHIR) that summer. While the household is busy preparing for the huge trauma of an Indian wedding, Jess defies her parents and sneaks off to play football in the park with the lads.

Nearby, a gorgeous shorthaired blonde, Jules (KEIRA KNIGHTLEY), is a striker for the local women's team, the Hounslow Harriers. Her mother Paula (JULIET STEVENSON) is constantly trying to force Jules into frilly bras and feminine skirts and reminds her that "Sporty Spice is the only one without a fella!" She can't understand why Jules isn't interested in boys, but doesn't know that she has a crush on her football coach Joe (JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS).

Joe has been coaching the Hounslow Harriers, since a ruptured ligament ended his days as top player. He and Jules discover Jess playing in the park and encourage her to join the team and aim for the top. For Jules, that means playing in the U.S Women's League. Jess knows that her family would never allow it, so she dreams of getting a good job and a nice husband who will let her play when she wants. Furthermore, her parents expect her to learn to make full Indian dinner and a thousand samosas for the wedding.

When Jess's mother catches her playing football in the park with the boys in shorts and bare muddy legs, she forbids her from playing again. After all, she is not a girl anymore and what would Pinky's in-laws say? But it's too late, the in-laws break off the wedding because they see Jess out with cropped-haired Jules and mistake her for a boy - her English boyfriend! Jess and Pinky are devastated, no football - no wedding.

Joe tries to reason with the Bhamra's, but they refuse to let Jess play. Joe encourages her to keep playing no matter what it takes. Jess plays in secret and starts to fall in love with Joe.

Jess lies and sneaks out for an away match in Germany where she tries to kiss Joe. Jules sees them and freaks out and their friendship lies in tatters. Jess knows Joe can't date one of his players and her parents would never accept him. She tries to make it up with Jules, who is not interested.

At the semi-final Jess is given a red card. Joe comforts her after the match and they are about to kiss when Mr Bhamra (ANUPAM KHER), catches them. Jess and Joe know she'll never be allowed to play again.

A new wedding date is fixed, but it clashes with the all-important final. Joe tells Jess that an American scout will be at the final to see her and Jules play. Torn between football, friendship and family, Jess is confused.

During the wedding, Mr Bhamra is struck by how happy one daughter is and how sad Jess looks. Mr Bhamra realises that Jess has put her family before football on this important day and tells her to play in the final and come back quickly. As Tony (AMEET CHANA) drives her to the stadium, she throws off her traditional Indian suit and puts on her beloved football kit.

She makes it up with Jules and they go onto the pitch looking more powerful than ever. They win the match and the scout offers both the girls a football scholarship in America. Jess inadvertently kisses Jules as they hug - a moment misunderstood by a shocked Paula.

To celebrate, Jess asks Jules to dress up and come back to Pinky's wedding. Paula decides to come too and accuses Jess of kissing her daughter in front of the confused wedding party.

It is now time for the girl's to depart for the States to fulfil their dreams of becoming professional football players. Whilst saying their goodbyes, Jess and Joe kiss - after all he is no longer her coach so they can do what they want.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Gurinder Chadha co-wrote the script with a friend, Guljit Bindra, and screen writing partner Paul Mayeda Berges. During the 1998 World Cup and the European Football Championships, Chadha was astonished at how many people watched the matches - euphoric when England won but depressed and desolate when they lost. "I went to my local pub to watch the games and was amazed to see grown men crying on the pavements of Camden High Street when England were out of the cup," says the director. "I'd only ever seen the country like this when Lady Diana died. I had got the football bug and thought wouldn't it be great to take all this energy, and put two girls in the middle of it all?" The film was to centre on an Indian girl who idolises David Beckham; and an English girl who idolises USA women's soccer star Mia Hamm. The two girls are desperate to play football, and the film would be about all the people who say they can't because it's not feminine.

David Beckham was chosen as Jess's role model for two reasons; he is one of the top players in the world and he challenges the preconceptions of what the public imagines a footballer to be. Bindra too was a big fan! "In many ways, Beckham is the perfect catch for an Indian mother," says Chadha. "He loves his wife, he has a son, he is also a good father and he's changed the meaning of what we used to consider the traditional macho footballer." Chadha also felt that Beckham challenged what people considered masculine in the same way she wanted the girls in the script to challenge what the general public considered feminine. "As an athlete you simply have to admire Beckham's ability to defy gravity and bend the ball in the way that he does." Continues the director, "we came up with the title because it also works as an excellent metaphor for the film as the girls 'bend' the rules rather than 'break' them so they can get what they want."

The film was to be set in Southall and West London, where Chadha grew up. Although the football was to be an integral part of the script, Chadha wanted to focus in essence, on the girls and their family lives. "Although I do believe it's a very different time now for girls," continues the director, "in other ways this film is my most autobiographical to date. Not only is the film set in Southall where I grew up, but the relationship between Jess and her father is very similar to my relationship with my dad and I made this film as a tribute to him."

Producer Deepak Nayar fell instantly in love with BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM. "I met Gurinder a few years ago when she was working on her then project 'What's Cooking?'," he says. "We kept in touch and when she showed me BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM I knew this was the film I wanted to make with her."

Nayar and Chadha actively started putting the finance together at Sundance 2000. Having worked with Road Movies (Germany) on several other projects in the past, Nayar approached them and they came on board, followed by British Screen and The Film Council. Helkon SK, formerly known as Redbus, read the script and were very excited about it. ''Having distributed 'What's Cooking?' in the UK, we were familiar with Gurinder's work. We built up a good relationship with her through this, and were only too pleased to come on board. We worked closely with Gurinder and the final result was exactly what we were all looking for, a coming of age drama," says Executive Producer, Zygi Kamasa.

Principal photography began on BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM on June 18th, 2001. A variety of locations around London and Shepperton studios were used for the 9 week shoot with the semi-final taking place over a 3 day period in Hamburg, Germany.

THE CASTING

Chadha played an active role in the casting and took the opportunity to cast actors she had admired for a long time. These included several generations of British Asian actors who she felt never got enough opportunities to show off their talents.

Chadha knew the role of Jess would carry the weight of the film and had first seen Parminder Nagra in a play called 'Oh Sweet Sita' at the Oval Theatre in 1997. Gurinder recounts, "I was instantly taken with her and when I started writing the screenplay I always had her in mind." Gurinder approached her in 1998, and asked if she'd played football before. "She lied to me and said she had," says the director. "Still even if I'd known that she'd never played football before, I always knew she was the only actress for the role. She has an innocence on screen that is completely arresting and she worked harder on preparing for the role than any actor I'd ever worked with."

JULES needed to be played by an actress that would capture the self-confidence and drive girls have today. As soon as Chadha met Keira Knightley she knew she was perfect. Gurinder was shocked that she had just turned 16, as she had a wonderful combination of youthfulness with a mature screen presence. "Keira would come to training in between revising for her GCSEs," says the director "which completely impressed the whole cast. The schedule had to be adjusted around her finishing her exams but everyone felt it was well worth it."

Chadha wanted JOE the coach to be someone who the audience would really feel for, not a cliched London lad who screams from the sidelines. She admired Jonathan Rhys Meyers's work and wanted to cast him as an ordinary boy next door using his natural Irish accent, a role quite different from what he was used to. Says Chadha "Jonathan is very charming, beautiful looking and has an electric screen presence. I completely believed that both Jess and Jules could fall head over heels for him."

MR BHAMRA needed to be an actor who would be able to portray on screen a man who had grown up in a totally different culture from the one he was born into and the complexities of coming to terms with that. Chadha wanted someone the audience felt sympathetic towards and knew the Bollywood actor, Anupam Kher, would be ideal for the role. "I met him and we were both excited that this would be his first British film. I asked him to act in a completely different style than he was used to, naturalistic as opposed to Bollywood, and he's done an amazing job," says the director.

When casting the role of PAULA, the brash, busty, mother of Jules, Chadha thought of Juliet Stevenson. Says the director, "she's one of our country's greatest actors, and I had never seen her do a role like this before. When we first met, I joked with her that it had taken her fifteen years of Royal Shakespeare Company training to prepare her for the role of 'common as muck' Paula! When she opened her mouth at the first read through I knew she had nailed the character instantly."

CASTING THE EXTRAS

The wedding scene was to be one of the highlights for both the director and crew. "To get the extras right in the wedding scenes I used a lot of my relatives especially my mother and aunts as they all looked so authentic and it had to look like everyone was having a good time." Continues Chadha, "directing them was a different matter, It was a nightmare. My mum kept interrupting me when I was giving orders to the crew, screaming my Indian nickname out in front of everyone. That was very embarrassing. I would say 'Mum Please!' and she would start yelling in Punjabi and tell me so and so's auntie is hidden from the camera or such and such auntie is too far in the background, no one will see her. It was all very amusing for everyone involved."

Girls with good soccer skills, athletic and confident, were chosen for the Hounslow Harriers. This was important, as they had to be good at working with the camera and with the actors. In the end with the support of the Football Association many girls were auditioned and girls from QPR, Slough, Bushy and the Arsenal Academy were cast.

THE FOOTBALL CHOREOGRAPHY

Chadha wanted to shoot the football scenes in a realistic and cinematically effective way. "I looked at just about every sports movie I could find with my Director of Photography, Jong Lin, and talked through how we wanted the camera to move and capture the action." Fortunately for Chadha, Lin, who had previously worked with her on 'What's Cooking?' designed his own piece of camera equipment specifically for shooting the football scenes. The Wego, a similar devise to the Steadicam, could be used for the very low angled; fast moving shots, that could not be accomplished with the Steadicam. "The Wego created a new vision of shooting the football scenes as you could avoid those high angled shots, seen so many times in football sequences." Continues Lin, "because the Wego had to be held by two people, it achieved a very steady, sharp look and allowed Paul Mayeda Berges, the 2nd Unit Director, to get very involved with the sequences."

Chadha brought Simon Clifford on board, to co-ordinate the football sequences and train the girls. He worked with the leading actors and actresses in the film using Futebol de Salao training techniques to ensure that the football scenes were of the highest quality. Simon worked in the weeks prior to filming to bring the football up to standard and during filming to choreograph the football scenes.

Having previously consulted on the film 'There's Only One Jimmy Grimble' starring Robert Carlyle, Gina McKee & Ray Winstone, Clifford was only too familiar with football choreography. Says Clifford "I was totally flattered but my biggest worry when I came to BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM was that I hadn't worked with girls as frequently as with boys. The type of players I was most accustomed to working with were gritty lads and in this case I needed a totally different style of coaching for the girls."

It was up to Clifford to establish a sophisticated and comprehensive training programme, as the girls had to look like genuine footballers. Training schedules were tailor-made to each individual and Clifford spent ten weeks working with the principle cast. As the rest of the team was to be made up with experienced players, it was important that the actors looked like they could handle themselves on the pitch.

To add spontaneity to the scenes, surprises were dropped in, which only a few girls were aware of. "It is difficult to make football scenes look authentic on screen because of the speed, nature and movement inherent with the game," says Clifford. "Many films have struggled to attain this realism and it was my job to ensure that this was not the case for BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM."

Shaznay Lewis who plays Mel, the team captain, was cast later than the others and a few extra sessions were scheduled in to her training practise to make up for extra time. Says Clifford, "she took her role in this, her first film, very seriously and worked incredibly hard at all of the sessions we did together. Her hard work and effort, like that of the others, had really paid off."

The German match was the footballing high point and a time when both the actors and footballers looked like a professional side. "They played and felt like a proper team that had been playing for years together. They more than held their own in a match that was extremely intense" says Chadha. "Once I got the shots I needed, I'd yell cut but no one would stop playing. The girls refused to lose, they'd completely forgotten the script and they begged me to let them keep playing till they could give the German side a good stuffing. And the most bizarre thing was how the crew went berserk supporting our girls against the German girls," says the director.

ABOUT THE CAST

PARMINDER NAGRA - Jess Bhamra

Born in Leicester and from a Punjabi family, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM marks Parminder Nagra's feature film debut. Television credits amongst other's include series regular in 'Holby City' (BBC), 'Goodness Gracious Me' (BBC), 'Small Potatoes' (ITV) and 'Casualty' (BBC).

"The character Jess, is actually very close to me. She is honest, steadfast, and a little fighter on the pitch and she follows her heart, which is something I do," says the actress. "Although she is fantastic at football her parents do not approve of her playing and want her to be more traditional, to cook, clean and raise children. But she is not like that at all and wants to play the game and is determined to do so. Women's football is growing and there are a lot of Asian girls who play football, which is something I found surprising," says the actress.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY - Jules Paxton

17 year old Keira Knightley had just finished her GCSE's when principal photography began on BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM. Film credits include 'The Hole', 'Princess of Thieves', 'Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace', 'The Beginning' and Innocent Lie'.

"I play the role of Jules who is determined to play football but I have my sights set on the States. It is when I see Jess playing in the park that a friendship is struck up and I end up encouraging Jess (Parminder Nagra) to play. BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is a story which looks into the meaning of femininity - just because you play football does this mean you can't be feminine? My character loves to play football but my parents want me to be more traditional and settle down."

JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS - Joe

Jonathan Rhys Meyers's film credits include 'Velvet Goldmine', ' Titus Andronicus', 'Prozac Nation', 'Ride with the Devil', 'The Loss of Sexual Innocence', 'The Governess' and 'B Monkey'. His television credits include the critically acclaimed drama 'Gormenghast' for the BBC, 'Samson and Delilah' (BBC), and 'The Magnificent Ambersons'.

"BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM gave me the chance to play a regular kind of guy, and I never usually get to do that, I am always cast to play an extraordinary person so it was a good chance for me to do play a different character. I have enjoyed the filming, and working with the cast and with the talented Gurinder Chadha."

ANUPAM KHER - Mr Bhamra

Anupam Kher has starred in over 270 Bollywood films and BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is his first English language feature. His film credits include 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', 'Kyo Kii', 'Jodi No 1', 'Aashique', 'Refugee', 'Mohabbatein', 'Dhai Akshar Prem Ke', and 'Dhadkhan'.

ARCHIE PANJABI - Pinky Bhamra

Archie Panjabi's film credits include Meenah Khan in 'East is East', 'Escape to Somerset' and 'Bideshi'. Television credits include 'Tough Love' with Ray Winstone (Granada Television), 'In The Beginning' (BBC) and 'The Brand Spanking New Show' with Harry Enfield (BBC).

SHAZNAY LEWIS - Mel

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM marks the feature film debut for award winning singer/songwriter Shaznay Lewis. Previously one quarter of the female band, All Saints, who enjoyed a string of number one singles starting with their debut hit 'I know where it's at'. Their second album, 'Saints and Sinners' included the song 'Pure Shores' written by Lewis and William Orbit for the soundtrack of Danny Boyle's 'The Beach'.

FRANK HARPER - Mike Paxton

Frank Harper's film credits include 'Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', 'A Room For Romeo Brass', 'Shiner', 'The Last Minute', 'Kevin and Perry Go Large', 'The Search for John Gissing', 'Lucky Break', 'South West Nine' and 'Tube Tales'.

JULIET STEVENSON - Paula Paxton

After graduating with a Gold Bancroft Medal from RADA it took the Olivier Award winning Juliet Stevenson, just one year to find her first prominent acting role with the Royal Shakespeare Company. One of the UK's most accomplished actresses, Stevenson's film credits include 'Truly Madly Deeply', 'Emma', 'Food for Love', ' The Search for John Gissing', 'Play', 'The Secret Rapture', 'Who Dealt', 'The Trial', 'Swords' and 'Drowning by Numbers'. On stage, Stevenson has acted in some of the UK's finest theatre productions and has spent many years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her television credits amongst others include, 'Trial by Fire' (ITV), 'Cider with Rosie' (Carlton), 'Stones, Scissors, Paper' (BBC), and the award winning drama 'The Politician's Wife' (Channel Four).

SHAHEEN KHAN - Mrs Bhamra

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is Shaheen Khan's second feature film directed by Chadha. Film credits include the award winning 'Bhaji on the Beach', 'Partition', 'Sammy and Rosie get Laid', 'Captives', 'Hollow Reed' and 'Tomorrow Never Dies'. Television credits include 'Love Match', 'Love Birds', 'Old Flame' (BBC), and 'Boon' (Central Television).

AMEET CHANA - Tony

Ameet Chana's film credits include 'The Drive', 'Wild West', and 'Princelet of Golum Street'. Theatre credits include 'Papa was a Bus Conductor Innit' (Hammersmith Lyric), a Bollywood 2000 Tour for the RIFCO, 'Balti Kings' (Tamasah Theatre Company) and a One Nation Theatre Tour of 'Don't Look at My Sister... Innit'.

POOJAH SHAH - Meena

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM marks Poojah Shah's feature film debut. Her theatre credits include 'Wyrd Sisters', 'Fen', 'A Midsummer's Nights Dream' for the Finchley Youth Theatre and 'Jesus the Curry King' for the Aylesbury Film Company.

PAVEN VIRK - Bubbly

Paven Virk trained at Coventry University for the Performing Arts. Her television credits include 'Megamaths' (BBC), 'Doctors' (BBC) and 'In the Name for Love' (Meridian). Paven's theatre credits include, 'Don't Look at My Sister… Innit' (Festival Edinburgh and tour), 'Arrange that Marriage…Innit' (Bloomsbury Theatre and tour), 'Bollywood or Bust' (Watermans Arts) and 'Cloud Watching' (Half Moon Theatre).

PREEYA KALIDAS - Monika

21 year old Preeya Kalidas trained at Sylvia Young's Drama School, London. Her film credits include 'Bollywood Queen', 'East is East', 'Relationships', 'Virtual Sexuality' and 'Jump Boy'. She is also in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new theatre production 'Bombay Dreams', which he devised with film director Shekhar Kapur.

HARVEY VIRDI - Teetu's Mum

Harvey Virdi trained at the Academy Drama School, London. Her film credits include 'Gran' and 'Guru in Seven'. Television credits include Mark Mylod's 'Baddiel's Syndrome' (Avalon/Sky Television) and 'Staying Alive' (LWT). Theatre credits include 'When We are Married', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Square Circle' and 'Playboy of the Asian World' (all for the Leicester Haymarket), 'Airport 2000' (Riverside Studios) and Jatinder Verma's production of 'Exodus' (Tara Arts/BAC).

ASH VARREZ - Teetu's Dad

Ash Varrez trained at the Dame Flora Robson Playhouse in Newcastle Upon Tyne. BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is his second feature with writer/director Gurinder Chadha, following 'Bhaji on the Beach'. Film credits include 'A Passage to India', 'Clockwise' and 'Madame Sousatzka'. Television credits include 'A&E' (Granada Television), 'A Mind to Kill' (Fiction Factory), 'Close up and True' (United), 'Cops', 'City Central,' and 'Maisie Raine' (BBC).

ABOUT THE CREW

GURINDER CHADHA - Director/Producer/Co-Screenwriter

Gurinder Chadha began her career as a BBC newsreporter. She went on to direct award-winning documentaries for the British Film Institute, BBC and Channel 4. Chadha's first feature 'Bhaji on the Beach', won numerous International awards including jury prizes at Locarno and several audience's favourite film awards. It received a BAFTA nomination for 'Best British Film' of 1994 and Chadha won the 'Evening Standard British Film Award' for Best Newcomer to British Cinema. Chadha's second feature 'What's Cooking?', was released in the US in 2000 and internationally in the summer of 2001, both to great critical acclaim. Starring Alfre Woodard, Joan Chen, Kyra Sedgwick, Julianna Margulies and Mercedes Ruehl, it was the first British script to be invited to the prestigious Sundance Institute's Writer's Lab. It was voted joint 'Audience Award' winner in the New York Film Critics 2000 season (tied with Billy Elliot), and was voted 'Best Film' at the 2001 Birmingham Film Festival. The LA Times and Roger Ebert named it as one of the best films of 2000. Chadha is currently working on a US Studio Project 'Neurotica' for New Line Cinema, 'The Mistress of Spices' for Mike Newell's Fifty Cannon Productions and 'Bollywood Untitled', for Pathe.

PAUL MAYEDA BERGES - Co-Screenwriter/Second Unit Director

Paul Mayeda Berges was born and brought up in Los Angeles. He studied film at the University of Santa Cruz and is the former Director of the San Francisco International Asian American Festival. BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is Paul's second feature collaboration with Chadha, having previously co-written 'What's Cooking?'.

DEEPAK NAYAR - Producer

Deepak Nayar began his career producing films with the Merchant Ivory group in his native India on such films as 'Heat and Dust' and 'The Deceivers'. He went on to produce David Lynch's 'Lost Highway' and Wim Wenders 'The End of Violence' and the acclaimed documentary about the Cuban music legends of the same name, 'The Buena Vista Social Club', which was nominated for an Oscar in 1999.

JONG LIN - Director of Photography

Director of Photography Jong Lin has shot three of Ang Lee's award winning films which include 'Pushing Hands', the Oscar-nominated 'The Wedding Banquet' and the Oscar-nominated 'Eat Drink Man Woman'. He also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography for the latter film. Lin's other film credits include 'Shadow of a Dream', 'A Dog To Kill', 'My Rice Noodle Shop', and 'Once Upon a Time in Shanghai'.

JUSTIN KRISH - Editor

Justin Krish has previously worked on 'Al's Lads', Alex Jovy's 'Sorted', starring Matthew Rhys and Sienna Guillory, the romantic comedy 'Green Fingers', starring Helen Mirren and Clive Owen, 'Beautiful People', 'The Life of Stuff' and 'Silent Scream', a psychological thriller directed by David Hayman, for which he won the Best Editor Award at the Atlantic Film Festival. Justin was Associate Editor on Shekhar Kapur's 'Elizabeth'.

PAUL RITCHIE - Line Producer

Paul Ritchie recently worked on Sandra Goldbacher's 'Me Without You' starring Anna Friel, Michelle Williams and Kyle Mclachlan. Previously he has worked on Justin Edgar's 'Large' and was Associate Producer on 'Dead Babies,' starring Paul Bettany and Olivia Williams.

RALPH HOLES - Costume Designer

Ralph's film credits include 'Large', 'Dead Babies', Michel Blanc's 'The Escort', starring Daniel Auteuil and 'Staggered', directed by Martin Clunes. Ralph's TV credits include 'Messiah' starring Ken Stott and Jamie Draven, 'The Green Eyed Monster', 'Pretending to be Judith' starring Marc Warren and Nathaniel Parker and 'My Summer with Des', directed by Simon Curtis, starring Neil Morrissey and Rachel Weiss.

NICK ELLIS - Production Designer

Nick Ellis has numerous commercial credits to his name which include the award winning advert for 'Pretty Polly' for which he won Production Designer of the Year, Virgin Airlines and Adidas with David Beckham. He has also worked as Production Designer on the Oscar Nominated short 'Killing Joe', directed by Mehdi Norowzian.

CRAIG PRUESS - Composer

Craig Pruess is an American composer, arranger, gold and platinum producer, musician and sound designer who has been living in Britain since 1973. He previously collaborated with Chadha on 'Bhaji on the Beach,' and 'What's Cooking?'. Other film credits include 'A Little Princess', 'Golden Eye', 'Hear My Song' and 'Funny Bones'. Pruess also founded his own publishing, record & production company, "Heaven and Earth Music". He has contributed to albums from such artists as Joe Cocker, Cliff Richard, Petula Clark, Manic Street Preachers, Def Leppard, Cutting Crew, Dire Straits and Elton John. As a songwriter, Pruess penned the number one hit U.K. single for Cliff Richard, "Millennium Prayer".

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