Sometimes a documentary uncovers a forgotten story that feels tailor-made for the current moment. As interest in women’s sports surges and long-overdue recognition of how unequal access to resources shapes sports, “So Close To The Clouds” arrives at just the right time.
The film transports viewers to 1971, when 110,000 fans packed Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium for the second ever Women’s World Cup Championship. The first Mexican women’s team, mostly teenagers wearing handmade uniforms, had stunned the world the year before by taking third place at the inaugural World Cup in Italy. By 1971, Mexico was captivated by the novelty of women’s soccer, the pride of hosting the championship, and the grit of their young team.
While “So Close To The Clouds” delivers the thrills you expect from an underdog sports story, its heart is in the obstacles the players faced simply to play at all, and later, to sustain their hard-won success in the face of systemic sexism.
“So Close To The Clouds” opened the 14th Filméxico Festival, a collaboration between the Salt Lake Film Society, the Consulate of Mexico in Utah, and Artes de México en Utah. This annual event showcases some of Mexico’s most vibrant independent filmmaking.
Director Manuel Cañibe, speaking on opening night, described how the tale of the young women who filled Azteca Stadium was something of an urban myth. A lifelong soccer fan, his curiosity led him to find the former players, now middle-aged and ready to tell their stories for the first time.
Interviews with the 12 women are interwoven with archival match footage, as well as personal photos and videos these former champions had safeguarded for half a century. The soundtrack, streetscapes, and color palette add to the sense of watching a time capsule from the 1970s.
As young girls, many were discouraged by adults in their lives from playing. “You should be helping your mother in the house,” was a common refrain. Some were beaten by parents or grandparents who berated them for wasting time playing ball in the streets. But as one woman shares, “Soccer gets under your skin.” The film revels in the joy, camaraderie and freedom they found on the pitch.
With their early victories came a moment of cultural change. One former player recalls, “The grandmother who hit me with her sandal for playing was waiting for me with flowers at the airport.” Their fan base swelled, helped along by a coach who also happened to own a newspaper and knew how to generate publicity.
Still, the contrast between their soaring popularity and the meager financial and other support they received is stark. The film makes clear how the lack of institutional resources limited what this remarkable generation of athletes could have achieved.
In Spanish, with English subtitles, “So Close To The Clouds” is a moving 95 minutes.
So, should you see it? If you like soccer, women’s sports, history and the thrill of uncovering a hidden gem, yes. And independent film lovers should mark their calendars for the second week of November 2026, when Filméxico returns to Salt Lake. Filled with U.S. premieres, filmmakers panels and the excitement of discovering new talent, Filméxico is a festival experience worth seeking out.
