Hero Steps
(Pasos de héroe)
Discovery Film Festival
Despite having lost a leg to a landmine during the civil conflict in his native Colombia, 10-year-old Eduardo is determined not to miss out on any opportunities in life. When his parents enrol him in a nearby boarding school, he finds it difficult to fit in at first. His passion for football soon finds him at the heart of a new soccer team, which he forms with his new friends who also have physical disabilities. With the support of his music teacher and fellow student Valentina, he signs the team up to take part in a local football tournament. But he reckons without the expectations of the authoritarian school headteacher, Mr Lucio, who already has plans for the school to be represented by a team of non-disabled players. Can Eduardo and the team make it to the competition, and if they do, can they even begin to think they might actually win it?
The debut feature from Colombian writer/ director Henry Rincón, Hero Steps is a call to respect differences, to show the importance of having dreams and working hard to achieve them.
