BBC America Acquires THE GREAT FOOTBALL GIVEAWAY

The Great Football Giveaway is the unforgettable story of one man's quest to put smiles on the faces of some of the world's poorest children. It is an inspirational and joyous documentary celebrating the very essence of what unites soccer lovers across the globe: the simple joy of kicking a ball around.

· The Great Football Giveaway (1 x 60) is a Tape 13 and RDF Rights production distributed by RDF Rights who hold all international rights.

Timed to air around the World Cup in South Africa, The Great Football Giveaway U.S. premieres Friday, July 9, 10:00 pm ET/PT. The film follows the journey of former advertising executive Paul Clarke and a small team of individuals who founded a nonprofit organization called The Great Football Giveaway. They hand deliver tens of thousands of soccer balls direct to the underprivileged kids in Africa's poorest countries including Malawi, Uganda, Angola, Rwanda and war ravaged DR Congo. Through moving and personal testimony, the film offers a fresh and engaging way for viewers to connect with Africa's most challenging issues such as poverty, disease, war and landmines.

The non-profit was founded by Paul and SaraH Clarke after they visited Malawi and saw how many children were kicking around makeshift balls made of layers of tattered plastic bound together with old string, or whatever they could get their hands on. They vowed to come back with some real balls to give away. It was no hollow promise as they gave up their jobs, threw their energy into launching the charity, and made good on that vow. After the success of the first project to Malawi they knew they had to reach more countries, and the idea grew from there. Along with the other dedicated trustees and the volunteers who have joined along the way, they simply love sports and in particular soccer and keep using it as a force for good.

BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies, life-changing makeovers and a whole new world of nonfiction. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 67 million homes.

To post a comment, you must register and login.