#222 Representation II

I was reminded, once again, of the importance of representation whilst listening to the Today show on BBC Radio 4 earlier this week. The focus of the news article was the 20th anniversary of the release of the feel-good film, Bend it Like Beckham.

The director, Gurinder Chadha, has shared that the film was inspired by the actions of footballer Ian Wright, a Black British footballer, and the desire to make connections between football and British identity. The film’s characters highlight various themes including societal expectations, cultural identity, sexuality, and the desire to follow one’s dreams. Through the football mad main characters, Jesminder Bhamra and Jules Paxton, Ms. Chadha allows us - the viewers - to see the cultural tensions and reality for Jesminder as she pursues her passions which differ significantly from the cultural expectations of her family.

As to the impact of the film, Ms. Chadha stated “I think that had a massive impact on how the film was received globally because we came out after 9/11 and I think the world was quite shocked and beaten up by that and here comes this innocent film that is trying to make people understand what it feels like to be different” from Metro’s article, Bend It Like Beckham director says 9/11 had 'massive impact' on film's success as it celebrates 20th anniversary. The BBC Sport article, Bend It Like Beckham: Five reasons the film is still iconic 20 years on, highlights the legacy of the film in terms of - inter alia - inclusiveness and the power of sport. The impact of the film on women’s football is strikingly evident in The Guardian’s article, 'A cultural moment': what Bend It Like Beckham meant for UK women's football. Aside from having a great impact around the world, it has, “the one record that no other film has in the world – it has been officially released in every single country in the world including North Korea.” (BBC Radio 4).

I appreciate that despite being a feel-good film, Bend it Like Beckham has been impactful and reiterates the rôle of representation. As was the case with my November 2021 blogpost, Representation, I am closing with the following:

Representation matters.

Always has.

Always does.

Always will.

Period.

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