Joachim Masannek

He was born in 1960 in Hamm and studied German Studies, Philosophy, and Film in Munich. Since 1985, he has worked as a production designer, lighting technician, cameraman and author. After working on various animation projects, he wrote the children's book Die Wilden Fussballkerle based on the soccer team he founded in Munich. His films include: BOMBER (short, 1992), IN LIEBE, CATHERINE (short, 1992), DER BAER (commercial, 1992), and THE WILD SOCCER BUNCH (DIE WILDEN KERLE, 2004).

Director’s statement

“I’m the coach of a football team of children between 9 and 13 years of age. The children chose to call themselves THE WILD BUNCH. My son, the youngest, has always been interested in the Bayern club. When he was four I took him to the Bayern Football School but the coach was too rude with children, above all when they lost a match. So I decided to create a team. The character of Leon, the team leader, in real life is my son but he is too shy to play himself. And I had the same problem with the other children. Many of them refused to play themselves. The only real wild boys are my two children – who however played other characters – Raban and Jojo Becks. […] Working with children made me understand that they want to be considered as adults and that’s how I treated them”.