Words by Lily Kane.

The Kicking + Screening (K+S) Soccer Film Festival is putting on its first in-person showing in two years at the Westport Public Library on Thursday, July 29. The film festival, described by founder Rachel Markus as an “annual series of soccer cultural events that bring together soccer and film enthusiasts to celebrate the beautiful game,” is making its next stop in our soccer-loving town of Westport.

In her recent move from New York City to Westport, Markus noticed her new town shares her appreciation for the sport, explaining “I love that Westport has a strong commitment to sports, with such great soccer roots, and equally vibrant support of the arts-- a perfect mix for the festival.”

First developed in New York in April of 2009, Markus has built an international following around the film festival - helping it spread around the globe. In past years, festivals have been held in London, Washington DC, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi, and other cities. The global nature of K+S festivals can be attributed to the versatility of soccer. Markus continues, “I've lived in several countries, and soccer can be a truly globally unifying force--the rules are the same everywhere.”

This year’s festival will serve as the North American premiere of “Men of Hope,” a new film documenting the Afghanistan national team’s adventure of qualifying for the Asian Cup.

As Markus and her family put down their roots in Westport, she plans to expand the community they’ve built around the world through the K+S festival, stating, “the festival has built a great community around sport and art, and the power of sport- especially soccer- for social change. We hope to inspire the same in Westport.”

Tickets to the screening can be purchased online. The film will also be available to stream for a limited time for those unable to attend in person.