A documentary about the social work of soccer players from El Chota was presented

Ecuadorian filmmaker Betty Bastidas, based in New York, presented her work “Dreamtown”, which tells the story of Afro-ecuadorian soccer players who achieved success through this sport help mitigate the difficult situation of the towns of the region El Chota Valley, in the Ecuadorian highlands.

In this project, which cost $ 35,000, she talks about local soccer legends such as Ulises de la Cruz, “who went to two World Cups, was very successful in his career and returned to his Valley, in the region El Chota, where the pleople are poor and forgotten,” said Betty.

Bastidas told Efe that in her career, De la Cruz earned “respect and dignity” which gave visibility to the region and their living conditions. She also ensures that El Chota is one of the largest population of Ecuadorians with soccer players per capita, and said that seven players from the Ecuadorian team participated in the World Cup Korea-Japan 2002 and Germany 2010.

“We’ve been working on this project for six years. We believe in the power of this story and the importance of documenting and making visible the reality of the regions of Ecuador which fight for social justice and basic needs,” said Bastidas to Kickstarter.

The documentary tells the story of Carlos Maldonado, 24, and Anibal Chala, 16, who Bastidas followed for three years and who had to leave school because his family could not afford it.