FC Barcelona Doc Take the Ball, Pass the Ball Going Global

The sports documentary Take the Ball, Pass the Ball is being brought to the international market by Rooftop Film & TV, which has already landed deals with Telemundo, among others.

The documentary is getting a theatrical release in cinemas in the U.K and Spain on November 9 through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content Group. Rooftop Film & TV also secured deals with Telemundo for Spanish-speaking U.S., STUDIOCANAL Germany for German-speaking Europe and the Japanese marketing company Fieldworks. Rights currently available include Italy, Russia, India and Southeast Asia (excluding the Philippines) together with worldwide rights for inflight and educational.

Based on the award-winning book Barça: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World, written by Spanish football journalist, broadcaster and author Graham Hunter, the 107-minute documentary features legendary footballers such as Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué, Puyol, Valdés, Busquets, Mascherano, Alves, Abidal, Eto’o, Carrick, Capello, Gudjohnsen and Thierry Henry.

Rooftop Content Group Co-Founders Jordi Van Even and Jan Maarten Groen commented: “We are sure audiences will love Take the Ball, Pass the Ball and are very excited about the theatrical release. We are also thrilled to be collaborating with creative studio Zoom Sport and look forward to announcing some amazing projects featuring high-end content with the best footballers in the world.”

Duncan McMath, director and producer at Zoom Sport, added: “The story is one of the greatest in football history and it’s been an honor to help bring Graham’s brilliant book to life in film. The whole process has been professionally enriching, challenging and above all a lot of fun. For Universal to believe in us and the film and to take it to a worldwide audience is a wonderful compliment to all the hard work that’s gone into producing Take the Ball.”