LFG | |
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Directed by | |
Written by | Andrea Nix Fine |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Sean Fine |
Edited by | Jeff Consiglio |
Music by |
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Production companies |
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Distributed by | HBO Max |
Release dates |
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Running time | 105 minutes [1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
LFG (Let's Fucking Go!) is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine, with Andrea Nix Fine also serving as a writer. It follows Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Sam Mewis and Julie Foudy, as they sue the United States Soccer Federation for pay discrimination.
It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 17, 2021. It was released on June 24, 2021, by HBO Max.
The acronym LFG stands for the phrase, "Let's fucking go!" which is a rallying call for the team. [2]
It follows Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Sam Mewis and Julie Foudy, as they sue the United States Soccer Federation for pay discrimination.
In March 2021, it was announced Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine would direct a documentary film revolving around the U.S. women's national soccer team pay discrimination claim. The film is produced by Everywoman Studios and CNN Films, and distributed by HBO Max. [3]
The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 17, 2021. [4] It also screened at AFI Docs on June 23, 2021. [5] [6] It was released on June 24, 2021, by HBO Max. [7]
LFG received positive reviews from film critics. It holds an 94% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 18 reviews, with a weighted average of 8/10. [8] The film has also received negative feedback from some conservative-leaning lawyers, who claim that the film pays little attention to the legal proceeding regarding the case, and fails to explore the specifics of the court's decision to throw out the case. [9] Journalist Emily Reigart stated that "If you are looking to better understand the legal argument for the athletes’ case, this is not the film for you", [10] whilst the Washington Post said "The film itself is just as one-sided" [11]
The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States of America in international women's soccer. The team is governed by United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF.
Julie Maurine Foudy is an American retired soccer midfielder, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. She played for the United States women's national soccer team from 1988 to 2004. Foudy finished her international career with 274 caps and served as the team's captain from 2000 to 2004 as well as the co-captain from 1991 to 2000. In 1997, she was the first American and first woman to receive the FIFA Fair Play Award.
Sean Fine is an American cinematographer, producer and film director whose film Inocente won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary. He directs his films with his wife, Andrea Nix Fine. The Fines' first feature-length film War/Dance about child soldiers was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2007. In 2013 their film, Life According to Sam won both a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary filmmaking. The Fines launched a boutique film studio Change Content to develop documentaries that affect way audiences feel about critical issues. Change Content's first film LFG premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was instrumental in the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team achieving equal pay.
Rebecca Elizabeth Sauerbrunn is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She co-captained the national team with Carli Lloyd from 2016 to 2018 and was the captain of the team from 2021 to 2023.
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Samantha June Mewis is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. Mewis is the editor-in-chief and podcast host of The Women's Game from Men in Blazers.
Andrea Nix Fine is an American documentary film director whose film Inocente won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2013. She directs her films with her husband, Sean Fine. The Fines were also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2007 for War/Dance, a story about the power of music to heal and transform the lives of children living in Uganda's war zone, and their 2013 HBO documentary Life According to Sam was honored with a Peabody and Emmy award. Nix is a 1991 graduate of Colby College. The Fines launched a boutique film studio Change Content to develop documentaries that affect way audiences feel about critical issues. Change Content's first film LFG (film) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was instrumental in the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team achieving equal pay.
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The U.S. Women's National Team Players Association (USWNTPA) is a labor union representing the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT). The organization's primary mission is to protect the rights of the USWNT and to safeguard the economic and social welfare of all of the women's national team players.
Starting in 2016, players for the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) have engaged in a series of legal actions against the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). These legal actions detail the unequal treatment and compensation of the USWNT, as compared to the U.S. men's national soccer team (USMNT). The process of achieving equal pay and treatment started with a federal complaint submitted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2016, with notable moments throughout 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2022. The fight for equal treatment and compensation has received widespread media attention, inspired legislative action in the U.S. Senate, and received fan support. The 2021 documentary film, LFG also details the story of the U.S. women's national soccer team and their fight for equal pay. A landmark equal pay agreement was reached in February 2022.
An Equal Playing Field is a 2015 sports documentary about American soccer player Christen Press and the challenges of being a women's soccer player.
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17 Blocks is an 2019 American documentary film, directed by Davy Rothbart, written by Rothbart and Jennifer Tiexiera. The film revolves around the Sanford family, who spent 20 years filming themselves.
I Am Evidence is an 2017 American documentary film, directed by Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir. It focuses on an investigation into thousands upon thousands of rape kits sitting in storage in various police departments being untested. Mariska Hargitay served as a producer on the film.
Fathom is a 2021 American documentary film, directed by Drew Xanthopoulos. It follows two researchers of humpback whales who study their communication and how it evolves across oceans and continents.
Pray Away is a 2021 American documentary film produced and directed by Kristine Stolakis. It follows survivors of conversion therapy, and former leaders. Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy serve as executive producers.
The Legend of the Underground is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Nneka Onuorah and Giselle Bailey. John Legend serves as an executive producer under his Get Lifted Film Company banner. It follows several non-conformist youth in Nigeria as they fight rampant discrimination either to stay or flee to live elsewhere.
The First Step is a 2021 American documentary film, directed by Brandon Kramer. It follows Van Jones, as he pushes for criminal justice reform.
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Simple as Water is a 2021 American documentary film by Oscar-winning director Megan Mylan. The film documents Syrian families across five countries, revealing the impact of war, separation, and displacement. The film is a meditation on the elemental bonds of family told through portraits of four Syrian families in the aftermath of war. Simple as Water premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 20, 2021. It was released on November 16, 2021, on HBO Max.