Nossa Chape

Nossa Chape is a moving documentary from directors Jeffrey Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist from the year 2018. The movie powerfully narrates a true story that merges tragedy and resilience; the story of the Chapecoense football club from Brazil. This emotional film brings to light poignant elements of human spirit like unity, perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity.

The film opens with depicting the excitement and the rising fame of the Chapecoense Brazil's football club. A small-time club that managed to reach the pinnacle of success - an entry into the coveted Copa Sudamericana finals. But the euphoria was shortlived. The team, destined for their Copa Sudamericana finals in Colombia, met with an unfortunate plane crash, resulting in the loss of 71 of the 77 passengers onboard, including nearly the entire Chapecoense squad, the team’s coach, and accompanying journalists.

Nossa Chape (Our Team) then takes you through the aftermath of this drastically tragic event. As the city of Chapeco mourns the loss, the club is left grappling with the reconstruction of the team that once looked so promising. The administration, fans, families, and the three survivors carry forward rebuilding what was lost. In the midst of their grief, they hold onto the memory of their team, knowing that they have to rebuild in the spirit of those who were lost.

The movie manages to masterfully capture the emotional journey of the three surviving team members - defender Neto, goalkeeper Jackson Follmann, and left back Alan Ruschel. Their struggles with physical injuries, psychological trauma, and the pressure of being the symbols of resurrection for the club and the hopes of an entire city, makes for an intensely gripping narrative. Particularly touched upon is Follmann's journey whose injuries led to changing his dream of being a footballer to becoming a Paralympian.

It also throws light upon the more practical struggles, faced in the resurrection of the club. The administrative conflicts, selection pressures, and financial constraints that arose as they tried to form a new squad, all while being under the scrutiny of a world that now knew them through tragedy, are presented with raw realism.

The directors, the Zimbalist brothers, are known for their deft handling of sports dramas, and Nossa Chape is no different. They beautifully weave in archived footages with enlivened reenactments, ensuring that the story stays true to its reality. The intelligently shot sequences throughout the film engage the audience visually while the narrative stirs them emotionally.

Though a sports documentary, Nossa Chape transcends the boundary of being purely a football movie. It is not just about the love of the game or the thrill of the sport, but it portrays how a team's journey became an emotional voyage for an entire community. It shows how football went beyond being a game to become a beacon of hope, a medium of healing, and a symbol of renewed spirit.

The movie's portrayal of the emotions, the grief, resilience, determination, and the undying spirit of unity is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. It is about commemoration, respect, and the celebration of the human will. It pays homage to the team that was lost and beautifully narrates the story of revival that followed, both for the football club and the entire city.

Nossa Chape is a testament to the strength of the collective human spirit and its ability to overcome adversity. It pays tribute to the losses of the past while heralding the courage it takes to move forward. With breathtakingly beautiful cityscapes, intense emotional narrations, the heartwarming display of community coming together, and the love for football binding it all, Nossa Chape is a film that stays with you, long after you've watched it. Loved by sports fans and movie enthusiasts alike, it takes its viewers on an emotional ride that is both painful and uplifting at the same time.