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Inside Story (2011)

The ‘Inside Story’ (2011) of HIV in a footballer

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MJ-A
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In 2011, trying to reach a larger audience with AIDS education, the Discovery Channel, UNAIDS, and multiple AIDS organizations sponsored the making of Inside Story. Quizzical Pictures self-describes its film as combining “urban social drama, science exploration and sports in a truly unique way.”

I can confirm that this is the most unique educational soccer drama I have seen. The narrative drama is entertaining, the performances are excellent, and the soccer is well portrayed. The science is incorporated as animations of the virus inside footballer Kalu’s bloodstream. He narrates how the virus propagates and how it can be spread by unknowing carriers. The animations were a little jarring at first, as I did not know this was an educational film that premiered on World AIDS Day (Dec-1 every year).

The Story (Spoiler Alert)

Before the opening credits, we see Kalu (Kevin Ndege Mamboleo) being interviewed to tell his story. The entire film is therefore a flashback as Kalu tells how he went from village superstar on a Kenyan dirt field to second division Black Stars in Johannesburg. His dream is to play for Arsenal. However, he didn’t know he had acquired the HIV virus from his on-and-off girlfriend.

When he arrives at Black Stars on a 3-month trial, he learns to overcome his teammates’ resentment and bullying. He wins them over as they remake the locker room and start winning games. Kalu’s main competitor Spikiri (S’Dumo Mtshali) becomes his strike partner and roommate.

He also wins over Ify (Kendra Etufunwa), the daughter of Coach Valentine (Hakeem Kae-Kazim). She is propositioned by team owner Goodwill (Fana Mokoena), who threatens to fire her father if she doesn’t give in. While she is reeling from that, Kalu comforts her, but they do not use condoms.

As the Black Stars improve, Kaizer Chiefs make an offer for Kalu. However, owner Goodwill declines because he wants to punish Kalu out of jealousy. However, after Ify approaches him on Kalu’s behalf, he relents and signs the transfer. But then, he fires her father and sends thugs to break Kalu’s leg.

While in the hospital, Ify tells Kalu that she is HIV positive. He accuses her of sleeping around, and for the next 3 years he is lost in Johannesburg, hiding from everyone and working as a security guard. Throughout this whole story, Kalu narrates what the virus is doing inside his body.

Kalu runs into a teammate and learns that Goodwill has moved on to a First division team. Kalu gets Valentine to coach the Black Stars again for their final season. Kalu gets fit, replaces Spikiri who is now quite sick, and they make a good run in the Access Bank Challenge Cup (analogous to South Africa’s Nedbank Cup, which is an all-division competition like the US Open Cup). In the Final, they meet Goodwill’s 1st Division team.

About HIV and AIDS

Having weathered the COVID pandemic, many of us may have forgotten about HIV and AIDS. The 2024 UN AIDS fact sheet is here and cites these statistics:

  • 40M people globally are living with HIV
  • 31M are receiving antiretroviral therapy
  • 1.3M new infections annually
  • 14% do not know their HIV status

The main point of the film is that people need to get tested and know their HIV status. Don’t avoid the test because you are afraid of the results. The character Spikiri is emblematic of someone in denial, who uses traditional medicine and gets progressively sicker. Kalu, on the other hand, finally gets tested, goes on medication and gets stronger.

At the end of the film, the interviewer congratulates Kalu on signing with Arsenal and asks what he has learned. Kalu repeats his father’s saying that “Knowledge is Power” – the more you know, the more free you are.

In Conclusion

When I realized that 4 characters in the film became HIV-positive, I expected the film to be depressing. So I was impressed that Inside Story informs about HIV but also teaches that it is not a death sentence, and the film provides positive role models for living a good life. Which makes sense, because if people believe they are doomed, then no one will get tested, and HIV will keep spreading at a high rate.

While all the actors are excellent, the halftime speech by player Jabu (Seth Zweli Zimu) is worth noting. When Coach reminds them they have accomplished more than anyone expected, Jabu the painter says that’s not good enough (shades of Remember the Titans 🙂 ). He gives an emotional speech about how they are all losers, and they expect to lose. But this is his last season, his last game. So from tomorrow on, he’s going to be a painter. But he doesn’t feel like losing today. Most of them will never be this close to victory again. It’s about each man winning his own little battle. At least they will be the losers who won, which is something that no one can take away from them.

I was disappointed that I could not find any recent info about actor Kevin Ndege Mamboleo (Kalu). He did an excellent job in his first feature role, and his soccer was okay.

Maybe the film is not entirely realistic. I don’t know if pro teams allow players who are HIV positive. I don’t know if those on HIV medications can be world class athletes. But regardless, I found Inside Story to be entertaining, educational about AIDS and Africa, and uplifting. It is worth a watch.

7 Soccer Movie Mom Rating = 7

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