With the knockout games coming in thick and fast in the FIFA World Cup, Chennai too is seized with football fever.
While pubs and restaurants are going all out to woo fans, Goethe Institut, the cultural organisation of Germany, has planned several interesting events.
As part of the build-up to the big game, on Friday, Goethe Institut began the evening with the superbly-crafted 2003 film, ‘The Miracle of Bern’, about a prisoner of war struggling to live in post-war Germany, interspersed with the inspiring tale of the country’s unlikely victory in the 1954 World Cup.
After the film, Helmut Schippert, director of Goethe Institut, Chennai, called on Masthan, a freestyle footballer, who entertained the crowd with his skills.
Fans also got to engage with satirical photos — whose theme was to ridicule the culture around football — hung on the walls of the lobby and the auditorium. An hour before kick off, fans grabbed a bite and painted their faces — mostly in Germany colours.
Clearly, Goethe Institut was the place to be in on Friday. The best part, nobody had to pay for the experience.
