Furia

Camila Hassan, age 17, lies to her mother as she leaves for her championship soccer game. She says that she’s going to her friend Roxana’s house to study. Camila’s family wouldn’t approve of her playing on a women’s soccer team, so she does so secretly. Her brother, Pablo, plays soccer for Central, the local professional team where Camila lives in Rosario, Argentina. While everyone in the community heads to the stadium for Central’s game, Camila goes to Parque Yrigoyen to join her team. On the bus ride there, she buys an estampita—saint card—from a little boy, hoping La Difunta Correa, the patron saint of impossible things, will bring her team a victory.

The team gathers for a pep talk from Coach Alicia, who emphasizes the importance of a win today. A victory would mean moving on to the Sudamericano women’s tournament, a chance to be discovered by scouts and recruited to a pro team. However, Argentina doesn’t have any female professional soccer teams, so Camila knows success is a long shot, and she’s set her sights on playing in the United States. As the game begins, Camila notices her teammate Roxana’s entire family watching from the stands and feels a pang of jealousy; the Fongs always come to support their daughter, and