We’re thrilled that our new film on the cultural politics of the NFL, a collaboration with acclaimed journalist Dave Zirin of The Nation magazine, seems to be hitting home with academics, journalists, and sports figures alike.
Behind the Shield tackles the myth that America’s most popular and influential sports league was somehow free of politics before Colin Kaepernick and other players took a knee. Navigating a stunning excavation of archival footage and news media, Zirin traces how the NFL, under the guise of “sticking to sports,” has promoted militarism, war, and nationalism; glorified reactionary ideas about manhood and gender roles; normalized systemic racism and corporate greed; and helped vilify challenges to the dominant order as “unpatriotic” and inappropriately “political.”
If you’re a teacher interested in using Behind the Shield in your classes, a librarian looking to add it to your permanent collection, or an educator looking to set up a campus or community screening, you can purchase the film for educational use here. The film will be available on Kanopy mid-November.
For a limited time, you can also stream it free for home use here. |