What we're realizing is that Kicking & Screening is becoming much bigger than a conduit for cinephiles to share their soccer films: It's a place where people gather to share their own unique story of the beautiful game.
Most recently, K&S caught up with Craig Willinger, founder of the Craig Willinger Fund, a nonprofit organization set up to send cancer-stricken children and young adults, to watch the beautiful game where it is played -- both domestically and abroad.
On Friday, Craig's making the trip from Maryland to catch Eine Andere Liga (Off Side) and we asked him to share his story. We hope it kick starts your day and leaves you with as much inspiration as it did with us. And,iIf you're at the screening tomorrow night, be sure to swing by and say hello to Craig!
K&S: Tell us about your love of soccer - when did it start and what draws you to the game?
Willinger: I grew up in a neighborhood in Baltimore called Highlandtown, a melting pot of Germans, Polish, Italians, Greeks, etc, so soccer was everywhere. However, my grandfather loved baseball and tried to make me a pitcher. But while I was on the mound with ball in hand, I was looking past and watching the Italian kids playing soccer. I kept thinking to myself, "baseball is so boring and that game looks like real fun!" By the age of 10, I started kicking the ball, but in my neighborhood at that age you had a lot of catching up to do. So, I practiced day and night, rain and snow, by myself or with crowds of others until I was good enough to play. I had a desire to play and that passion took root instantly. it is safe to say that year changed my life.
K&S: You were diagnosed with a form of cancer recently. How has soccer inspired you through this journey?
Willinger: On March 3, 2007, I was diagnosed with stage 4 CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) with 11q deletion and was given six and a half years to live. Two years later, a generous group of Liverpool Supporters in the Baltimore area, Box 21231, heard about my situation at a company party and decided to raise money to send me overseas to see my favorite club team, Bayern Munchen, play in Munich, Germany. This gift of soccer raised my spirits beyond limits. Words cannot describe the joy and motivation it gave me to be taken out of the depression for just a few days to experience something that may never have been possible on my own.
K&S: Tell us about your charity and how it is using the power of the beautiful game to help others.
Willinger: Once back from Germany, I thought this was s a gift that could help many other cancer patients. Let's face it: medical advancements are wonderful and save millions of lives, but there is no limit to what a positive attitude can do! Our organization strives to take children and young adults suffering from the physical, mental, emotional and financial burdens of dealing with a cancer diagnosis and give them a once-in-a-lifetime soccer experience that they will never forget. For those couple of days, all they will be able to think about is the beautiful landscapes and of course, how their team is going to fare in the upcoming game. We just want them to stop thinking about all of the negative stuff that cancer brings with it and enjoy themselves. We hope this helps their prognosis and provokes them to do amazing things in their lives for others.
K&S: How did you hear about Kicking & Screening and why did you feel it was important enough for you to come to the festival in NYC?
Willinger: I was referred to Kicking and Screening by Ethan Zohn of Grassroot Soccer. Ethan has been a great supporter and has been a giving man not only to our organization but many others. So, when he suggested I look into making this film festival, it was a no-brainer. And, once I spoke to Rachel on the phone about all that K&S has done to bring these films about soccer from all around the world, I knew I would travel almost anywhere to be a part of it. We are looking to do anything we can to promote K&S in the future. I believe these random stories from all over have one common thread...and that is the passion of soccer (futbol) and the emotions that the game evokes. Relationships begin and end, economies flourish and crumble, wars are waged and will cease all for soccer... no other sport in the universe can do that!
I've gotta throw this quote out there...I had this on my dorm room wall my freshman year of college...The famous quote by the former Liverpool FC manager Bill Shankly, “Football's not a matter of life and death ... it's more important than that.”
K&S: What are you most looking forward to at the festival?
Willinger: I am really looking forward to seeing the film Eine Andere Liga (Off Side), of course, but most importantly, meeting all of the people that worked so hard to put on this festival and all of the fans of the game that give up their evenings to attend will truly make this trip unforgettable.
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