in football we trust

IN FOOTBALL WE TRUSTA TONY VAINUKU AND ERIKA COHN FILM

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SYNOPSIS

IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST intimately portrays four young Polynesian football players struggling to overcome gang violence, family pressures and near poverty as they enter the high stakes world of college recruiting and the promise of professional sports.

IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST is an insightful and moving documentary feature film exploring in rich detail the remarkable story behind the Polynesian Pipeline to the NFL.

A contemporary American story, the film transports viewers deep inside the tightly-knit and complex Polynesian community in Salt Lake City, Utah, one of the chief sources for the modern influx of Pacific Islander NFLers. With unprecedented access and shot over a four-year time period, the film intimately portrays four young Polynesian men striving to overcome gang violence and near poverty through the promise of American football.

Directed by first time feature filmmakers Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn, IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST takes us into the lives of these high school athletes and their families:

Harvey Langi - The second eldest of nine children and starting running back for Utah’s best high school team. He has scholarship offers to play football in nearly every top Division I school in the nation, but family expectations combined with early media attention ultimately lead to a crossroads.

Leva and Vita Bloomfield – These two brothers are struggling to live up to their father’s legacy, a former Brigham Young University running back who also founded the first Polynesian gang in Utah. Despite efforts to disaffiliate, the original family ties make it nearly impossible for the brothers to stay away from gang life.

Fihi Kaufusi - A two-way lineman who lives in his ultra-religious aunt’s crowded two-bedroom apartment with eight other children. Despite Fihi’s apparent talent, a terrible knee injury makes it difficult for Division I coaches to seriously consider his potential. As a result, he is faced with the decision of whether to give up the sport he loves in order to serve a religious mission.

Viewed as the “salvation” for their families, these young players reveal the culture clash they experience as they transform out of their adolescence and into the high stakes world of collegiate recruiting and the dream of continuing their community’s legacy of producing NFL stars.

IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST is directed by Tony Vainuku and co-directed by Erika Cohn. The film is also produced by Cohn and executive produced by Geralyn Dreyfous, Mark Lipson, and Gavin Dougan. It is edited by Ericka Concha, William Haugse and Ken Schneider with music by Justin Melland, featuring additional music by D.V.S*

IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST - press kit page 2


“Engaging...a reflection on the common experience of readjusting one’s youthful dreams.”- VARIETY

“Saw this powerful film and knew I had to help produce it. Honored to produce a film this close to my heart.”- DWAYNE JOHNSON, THE ROCK

“It’s lively and funny and shows the charismatic spirit of people not often portrayed on the big screen...Empathetic and entertaining, In Football We Trust is also commercially versatile.”- THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn’s documentary succeeds because it’s not about football, but about culture... the themes—ambition, limitations, and familial obligations—are universal.”- COLLIDER

“Compelling...The filmmakers do a terrific job of capturing the pressure on these young men.”- CITY WEEKLY

www.infootballwetrustmovie.com

Please visit our website or follow our social media updates @infootballwetrust for more information.

IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST


I am first generation Tongan American; born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. My parents are both of Tongan descent, and followed their parents to Utah in the early 1970’s, where their families practiced Mormonism. I didn’t have much growing up, poor was the norm, and education was never viewed as a “better way” out of our then current circumstances.

The kids in my neighborhood looked up to notorious gang members and popular drug dealers. However, the Polynesians who played little league football with me found their role models in Junior Seau and Vai Sikahema, pioneers for our culture in the NFL. They made the “American Dream” appear reachable.

We all relied on our size and speed throughout Little League, hoping to one day play in the NFL. Yet, it was my uncle, Joe Katoa who stood out among us. Beginning at the age of six, his life was told through a football highlight reel. He became an All-State high school linebacker and a top college recruit for Nebraska, Michigan, Utah, and BYU. Joe’s football successes gave our family something to be proud of, and more importantly, hope. Tragically, after high school Joe lost his father to a rare disease and with that, his drive to play football. Having dedicated twelve years to football, opportunity beyond the sport seemed nearly impossible. Joe’s parents had never expected him to hold a job and his coaches ignored his academic challenges, as long as he stayed eligible. Joe spent the next ten years of his life in prison, becoming another tragic story for our family.

I left football during my sophomore year in high school after finding an outlet to express myself through songwriting and entertainment. In college, I discovered my passion for filmmaking and storytelling. Inspired by Joe’s story, I began searching for an opportunity to address our childhood experiences and an avenue to critique the role that football played in our lives.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

I then met the In Football We Trust subjects. Harvey Langi was gaining media attention his sophomore year, and had talent mirroring Joe’s with similar familial pressures. The Bloomfield boys had notorious reputations partly because of their father’s gang affiliations. Much like the Bloomfields, my family’s last name was known for gangs, making it difficult to escape the stereotypes of gang affiliation. Finally, Fihi’s humble beginnings paralleled mine, portraying our struggles with poverty and the importance of Christianity in many Polynesian homes.

My personal experiences with loss and redemption have inspired me to pursue filmmaking. In Football We Trust is the beginning of a lifelong career in sharing my perspective and understandings of the immigrant experience.

Tony Vainuku, Director

I was living in Los Angeles when my mentor – producer and godmother of indie film Geralyn Dreyfous – called me and asked me if I was interested in coming back to Salt Lake City to work on a feature documentary. Tony Vainuku had approached her with the beginnings of a local high school football film focusing on the complexities and challenges of the Polynesian community. Geralyn thought that Tony and I might be great collaborators and that I would identify with a story “right in our own backyard.” Both of us had played competitive sports and I was deeply missing the team comradery and thrill of the game (for me it was softball). There’s truly nothing like it.

Sure enough, Geralyn was spot on. I flew home to meet with Tony and was so moved by his passion, his commitment to accurately representing his culture on the big screen and the stories he was driven to tell. We both felt very strongly about using sports as a catalyst to address a larger societal issue, which would be key to reaching a wide diverse audience. Then I met our four subjects, whose rare vulnerability and vitality deeply struck me. I fell in love with these charismatic teens, their stories, and their remarkable families. And so we embarked on a five-year journey to make this film… The rest is history!

When Tony and I first started, we thought we would follow the four boys throughout their senior year in high school. But, as with most documentaries, we quickly realized that the story was ongoing and required a much longer process. In Football We Trust ended up being an everyday portrait of our subjects’ lives, shot over a four-year period, ultimately opening a window into a relatively unknown culture.

Along the way, there were some major wake up calls and bumps in the road…one of them was the search for financing. I think one of the biggest challenges was shooting cinema verité for three years on a shoe-string budget prior to obtaining funding from ITVS. Throughout the first three years I can’t count the number of times we heard “no,” nor the amount of grant rejections we received, even including three from ITVS. We were very blessed with access to the schools and the families involved but the shear volume of the enterprise was daunting. Tony and I just took the “Little Engine That Could” attitude and never let go.

Growing up in Salt Lake City, I witnessed the misunderstanding and misrepresentation of Pacific Islanders and the inherent racism that this community experiences. I felt that our film could be a very important look into the community and hopefully express new insights about their lives and the issues that they face. I remember being struck by Harvey Langi when he said, “I am just a kid in high school, I’m just a kid,” while trying to deal with the overwhelming pressure and familial expectations to lift his entire family out of near poverty, by becoming a NFL star.


As a filmmaker, I am fascinated by the intersect of religion, culture and identity. My first film, sponsored by the Sundance Institute and Spy Hop Productions, was a portrait of my interfaith family struggling to intertwine two very different cultural and religious identities. Throughout the filming of In Football We Trust, the tension between religion, culture and the new-immigrant experience in America kept coming up, and I really wanted to tell that story.

In the film, we see our subjects strive for the promise (or at least the perceived promise) of the NFL. The “American Dream” phenomenon fascinates our society and unfortunately professional sport plays a large role in this. I think we need to put our idealism in check. I believe In Football We Trust will illuminate how our country’s infatuation with chasing the ‘American Dream’ can often leave people entrenched in the very conditions they are striving to overcome.

Finally I would like to say that we were so incredibly fortunate to have been welcomed wholeheartedly into our subjects’ lives. They often looked up to us, asked for advice or for our counsel and we were humbled by that experience. Yet, it was me that in turn learned so much from them. I was so in awe of their wisdom, as it was beyond their years.

We are very excited to finally share the film with the world after this five-year journey.

Erika Cohn, Co-Director/Producer

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

HARVEY LANGIThe second eldest of nine children and starting running back for Utah’s best high school team. He has scholarship offers to play football in nearly every top Division I school in the nation, but family expectations combined with early media attention ultimately lead to a crossroads. LEVA & VITA BLOOMFIELDThese two brothers are struggling to live up to their father’s legacy, a former Brigham Young University running back who also founded the first Polynesian gang in Utah. Despite efforts to disaffiliate, the original family ties make it nearly impossible for the brothers to stay away from gang life. FIHI KAUFUSIA two-way lineman who lives in his ultra-religious aunt’s crowded two-bedroom apartment with eight other children. Despite Fihi’s apparent talent, a terrible knee injury makes it difficult for Division I coaches to seriously consider his potential. As a result, he is faced with the decision of whether to give up the sport he loves in order to serve a religious mission.

FUA & KAUTA BLOOMFIELD Father and Mother of Leva and Vita

SAM & KALESITA LANGIFather and Mother of Harvey

TROY POLAMALUStrong Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers. Samoan American. Consensus All American at USC, 8-time Pro Bowler, 2-time Super Bowl Winner and 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Advocate for Polynesian athletes and considered one of the best ever at his position.

HALOTI NGATADefensive Tackle, Baltimore Ravens. Tongan American. Consensus All-American at University of Oregon, 5-time All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl Winner. Highland HS alum.

STAR LOTULELEIDefensive Tackle, Carolina Panthers. Tongan American. All American, Morris Trophy winner, Sun Bowl MVP, University of Utah. Bingham HS alum.

VAI SIKAHEMARB/KR, St Louis Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles. BYU. First Tongan to play in the NFL. 2-time Pro Bowler. Now, a successful sportscaster in Philadelphia.

SELECT SUBJECT BIOS


Director, TONY VAINUKU comes from a culture of third world traditions and a family of athletes. He grew up playing sports, but football was the focal point for his community and for Tony throughout much of his youth. For many who share his Polynesian heritage, the sport had become a way of life. After high school, he spent some time in the corporate world before enrolling at Westminster College in Utah to study business marketing for the purpose of learning how to build businesses around his passions of creative directing, writing and filmmaking. After graduating with a B.S. in Business Marketing, Tony founded a multimedia company called Soulprofile Productions, which specialized in creative directing, video web ads, music production and other promos.

In addition, Tony founded and launched the Soulpro brand in 2011: a lifestyle apparel brand built on the philosophy of Passion is Purpose®. In its three years of business, Soulpro has grown across the western United States and been actively involved in collaborating with and promoting hundreds of musicians, artists, athletes and entrepreneurs. Everyday, Tony lives his life by the simple philosophy of “get busy living, or get busy dying.”

Producer and Co-Director, ERIKA COHN grew up attending the Sundance Film Festival as a native Utahan, where she first began her career. Although her films differ in place and time, her fascination with religion and culture remain a reoccurring theme and her passion for social change the driving factor. In 2008, Erika traveled to Cambodia where she shot “Giant Steps,” a documentary about the reinstitution of art after the Khmer Rouge rule, which aired on PBS. In 2010, Erika associate produced the Frontline/ American Experience series, “God in America,” a six-part historical series on our nation’s relationship between religion and politics.

Erika has received numerous accolades for her work, including a Director’s Guild of America award for her film, “When the Voices Fade,” a narrative profile of the Lebanese-Israeli war of 2006, and recent admission into the CPB Producer’s Academy. Erika has been a featured panelist/speaker at various film festivals and university conferences regarding independent film financing and mentors youth filmmakers across the globe. She attended Chapman University in CA, where she graduated with degrees in Film

KEY CREATIVESProduction and Middle Eastern Studies. In addition, Erika is an avid documentary photographer, shooting primarily the lives of women in conflict zones, and serves as a US Ambassadorial Film Scholar to Israel/Palestine. She currently has two films in development through Idle Wild Films, Inc.

Executive Producer, GERALYN DREYFOUS has a wide, distinguished background in the arts and participates on numerous boards and initiatives. She is the founder of the Utah Film Center and co-founder of Impact Partners Film Fund with Dan Cogan. In 2013, Geralyn co-founded Gamechanger Films, a film fund dedicated to women directors. Her independent producing credits include the Academy Award winning “Born Into Brothels;” Emmy nominated “The Day My God Died;” Academy Award nominated “The Square,” Academy Award nominated “The Invisible War” and multiple film festival winners. Geralyn was honored with the IDA’s 2013 Amicus Award for her significant contribution to documentary filmmaking. Variety recognized Geralyn in their 2014 Women’s Impact Report highlighting her work in the entertainment industry.

Executive Producer / Post Production Supervisor, MARK LIPSON came to Los Angeles after attending NYU Film School to pursue photography and produce film and television. He developed and was associate producer of the original “Children of the Corn” feature. Then returning to NYC he produced “Almost You,” an indie comedy starring Griffin Dunne and Brooke Adams for Fox Classics. In the mid-90’s he supervised 3 innovative doc series for ITVS, including “The United States of Poetry.”

While in Texas shooting stills for David Byrne’s film “True Stories” he met Errol Morris. Mark produced three of Errol’s films most notably the award winning “The Thin Blue Line,” then “Fast Cheap and Out of Control” and most recently “Tabloid.” Current Mr. Lipson has been consulting as executive producer and post production supervisor on numerous Indie Features such as, “Standard Operating Procedure,” “Countdown to Zero,” “This Space Available,” “The Source Family” and this years Cannes, Telluride and Toronto International Film Festival darling, “Red Army.”


KEY CREATIVES

Executive Producer / Sound Supervisor, GAVIN DOUGAN is an Emmy Nominated Filmmaker who works in both the Documentary and Narrative Feature worlds of film. Gavin is an Executive Producer and the Sound Supervisor for the recent Oscar Nominated and Emmy winning Documentary – “The Square” – which examines the events of the Egyptian Revolution. Gavin received an Emmy Nomination in the Best Documentary category for this film.

He was also an Executive Producer for the award winning Documentary “Pandora’s Promise” – which questions the narrative about Nuclear Energy, and Co-Executive Producer of the award winning Documentary “Meet the Patels” – which humorously explores the world of arranged marriages within the Indian American community. Gavin was the Writer, Director, and Producer of the award winning narrative feature “Brass Tacks” – which tells the story about a group of young and talented Musicians confronting the realities of the Music Industry. He has also taught Film for Young Filmmakers Education.

Editor, ERICKA CONCHA is an up-and-coming American film and video editor from Northern California, who grew up dreaming of a career in the film and television industry. After receiving her undergraduate degree with Honors and two academic awards, Ericka was offered a scholarship to attend the Graduate Conservatory Program for film at Chapman University where she further refined her skills. She has enjoyed success with many of her short narrative works, which have screened at Academy Accredited festivals, including the Hollywood Film Festival, Dances With Films and First Glance, accomplishments which helped earn her a coveted spot in the ACE Internship Program.

More recently, Ericka has turned her attention toward long-form documentary film, where she is staking out her place as a critical new voice. By bringing a fresh, energetic lens to her subject matter, Ericka Concha is quickly becoming known as an editor who is defining modern documentary storytelling.

Editor, WILLIAM HAUGSE, A.C.E. has been nominated in editing categories for both an Oscar (“Hoop Dreams”) and a national Emmy, received the American Cinema Editors top award among other honors. He has edited scores of doc features, and television films, including “Stevie” (Lionsgate) and “Sunset Story” (ITVS/PBS). His credits also include sixty or so shorter films as director and/or editor. He worked with Orson Welles and John Cassavetes editing shorter films, including making trailers for their films.

Recent work includes”Gore Vidal: United States of Amnesia (2013 Tribeca” “superb” Hollywood Reporter. Films about to be released, in addition to “In Football We Trust,” include the feature “Critic: Jonathan Gold and his City.” He has worked in New York, Geneva, Cairo, Bali, and Rajasthan and more, now resides in Los Angeles. For five years in the ‘90s he taught editing and filmmaking at the USC Cinema School.

Editor, KEN SCHNEIDER has edited over 35 feature-length documentaries, focusing on war and peace, human rights, artists’ lives, untold American histories, and contemporary social issues. Ken co-edited the Oscar-nominated “Regret To Inform,” described by the NY Times as “unforgettable...exquisitely filmed, edited and scored.” His films have screened on PBS’ American Masters, POV, Independent Lens, Frontline, on HBO, and in television and film festivals worldwide.

Other projects include: “Have You Heard From Johannesburg” (Emmy winning series); “The Good War and Those Who Refused To Fight It”; “El Poeta”; “Orozco: Man of Fire”; “Ralph Ellison: An American Journey”; “Store Wars”; “School Colors”; “Bolinao 52”; “Ancestors in the Americas” and “Speaking in Tongues.” Ken’s editing can be viewed on kenschneidereditor.net. Ken lectures at NYU, Harvard, San Francisco City College, the SF Art Institute, and Chapman University. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two teenage sons.



HISTORICAL CONTEXTA SELECTION OF FACTS AND PROMINENT PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN FOOTBALL

• Since Al Lolotai broke the Polynesian barrier in 1945, over 200 Polynesians have played professionally in the NFL. Once a localized phenomenon primarily in the Western US, upwards of 1,000 Polynesian student athletes have played collegiate football and now figure regularly on Division 1 team rosters

• There are only 240,000 Samoans and Tongans living in the U.S. Yet they are 28 times more likely to play football in the NFL than any other ethnic group.

• Mormon missionaries reached the Pacific Islands in the mid-1800s, with Pacific Islander migration to Salt Lake City reaching its first peak in the 1880s.

• Post World War II, Samoa and Tongan immigration to the U.S. significantly increased. Many came to Utah to practice the Mormon religion.

• Utah has the highest percentage of Samoans and Tongans per capita, living in the mainland U.S.

• Nearly 1/5th of the Samoans and Tongans in the NFL today, started out playing football in Utah. Former University of Utah and BYU coaches Ron McBride and LaVelle Edwards were the first to capitalize on the “Polynesian pipeline”

• Tonga and Samoa average yearly income $13,100

• NFL player average yearly income $1.9 million

Pacific Islanders made headway in American football as early as the 1910s with missionary schools and colonial sports clubs. The ‘Polynesians in sport’ discourse quickly spread across the United States and the seemingly close alignment between football culture and Polynesian culture (especially respect for authority, community-mindedness, teamwork, self-pride, etc.) combined with the large and agile build of Polynesian men, began to peak the interest of college football teams. By the 1970’s as a result of coaches’ deliberate attempts to recruit Polynesians, American football had become a notable pathway out of poverty, and a legitimate means to immigrate to the United States.

Tonga and Samoa circled in red.

AL LOLOTAI – OL, Washington Redskins, Samoan AmericanHe was the pioneering first Polynesian to play in the NFL.

HERMAN “SQUIRMIN’ HERMAN” WEDEMEYER – HB, LA Dons, Baltimore Colts, Hawaiian AmericanAll American, St Mary’s College (CA). First Polynesian elected to the Collegiate Hall of Fame (1979).

MANU TUIASOSOPO – DL, Seattle Seahawks, SF 49ers. SamoanFour-year starter and two-time All American at UCLA, drafted first round by the Seahawks. Super Bowl Winner. All five of his children played collegiate sports and one, Marques, played QB for the Raiders.

RIKI ELLISON – LB, SF 49ers, LA RAMSAll Conference at USC and a 5th round pick. First Maori and first New Zealander to play in NFL.

JESSE SAPOLU – C, SF 49ers, SamoanUniversity of Hawai’I alum, four-time Super Bowl winner and 2-time Pro Bowler. Co-founder, Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.

VAI SIKAHEMA – RB/KR, St Louis Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, BYUFirst Tongan to play in the NFL. 2-time Pro Bowler. Now, successful sportscaster in Philadelphia.

DWAYNE JOHNSON – DL, Calgary Stampeders (CFL). Samoan AmericanA starter for the University of Miami, he left football to become a third-generation professional wrestler. Dubbed “The Rock,” he is now a major film box office draw.

JUNIOR SEAU – LB, SD Chargers, Miami Dolphins, NE PatriotsConsensus All American at USC. Perhaps the most successful Polynesian pro footballer ever, the San Diego native was a 12-time Pro Bowler, 8-time All Pro and an AFC and NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Tragically, he committed suicide at 43 due, according to the NIH, to CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).

TROY POLAMALU – Strong Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers. Samoan AmericanConsensus All American at USC, 8-time Pro Bowler, 2-time Super Bowl Winner and 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Advocate for Polynesian athletes and considered one of the best ever at his position.

HALOTI NGATA – Defensive Tackle, Baltimore Ravens. Tongan AmericanConsensus All-American at University of Oregon, 5-time All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl Winner. Highland HS alum.

KEN NIUMATOLOLO – Coach, US Naval Academy. Samoan AmericanUniversity of Hawaii alumnus and first Samoan head coach in NCAA history. Winningest coach in history of Navy and winningest Polynesian FBS football coach ever.

MANTI TE’O – LB, SD Chargers. Samoan HawaiianConsensus All-American at Notre Dame and one of the most-decorated collegiate athletes of all time, his reputation took a hit off of his involvement in a bizarre hoax. Rebounded to be a 1st round selection by the SD Chargers, former team of his idol, Junior Seau.

MARCUS MARIOTA – QB, Samoan HawaiianUniversity of Oregon. The 2015 Heisman Trophy Awardee and thus, first Polynesian, first non-Caucasian, non-African American to win the award.


DIRECTORTony Vainuku

PRODUCER & CO-DIRECTORErika Cohn

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERSGeralyn Dreyfous

Mark LipsonGavin Dougan

Dan FeganMichael D. Ratner

EDITORSEricka Concha

William Haugse, ACEKen Schneider

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHYTony Vainuku

MUSICJustin Melland

POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISORMark Lipson

SOUND SUPERVISORGavin Dougan

POST PRODUCTION SOUNDSkywalker Sound, a Lucasfilm Ltd. Company

Berkeley Sound Artists

RE-RECORDING MIXERMark Berger

SOUND EDITORJames LeBrecht

INTERVIEWEESKauata Bloomfield

Fua BloomfieldLeva BloomfieldVita BloomfieldAmanda Harris

Fihi KaufusiHarvey LangiKalesita Langi

Sam LangiStar LotuleleiHaloti Ngata

Troy PolamaluVai Sikahema

SELECT CREDIT LIST

“In Football We Trust” is a co-production of IFWT Productions LLC, Idle Wild Films Inc. and the Independent Television Service (ITVS), in association with Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

in football we trust

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