A film by J.R. Biersmith
Men in the Arena is an award-winning documentary by filmmaker and human rights advocate J.R. Biersmith. Released in 2017, the film has gone on to garner prestigious awards for documentary film excellence.
This film is a survival story, a human rights story and a rare sports journey principally shot and produced in Kenya, Somalia and the United States. The story is about two friends, Saadiq and Sa’ad, who both live in Somalia, bound by a shared dream to inspire their fellow countrymen through their sport, soccer.
Saadiq and Sa’ad played in the Sumalian National Team, but they were always dreaming to one day play on a major team in Europe or in America. What happened was quite miraculous.
Saadiq made it to America, legally, and was named to the 2016 A10 all-rookie team for his play in his freshman season at St. Louis University. He was also awarded the Jack Buck Amateur Athlete Award by the Missouri Athletic Club. Prior to SLU, he played for FC Dallas Academy in Frisco, Texas, during the 2014-15 season.
Sa’ad, Saadiq’s friend, played for Elman FC (Kenya) until 2015. He twice earned top scorer in the league and won the Super Cup Championship in 2013. Sa’ad entered the US Refugee Resettlement program in 2015 and entered the US finally in 2016 where he reunited with Saadiq. He hopes to pursue a professional career.
Welcome to the Scientology Network Documentary Showcase
Fundamental to Scientology is a humanitarian mission of extraordinary scope, now extending to some 200 nations. Included therein are programs for human rights, human decency, literacy, morality, drug prevention and disaster relief.
For this reason, the Scientology Network provides a platform for Independent filmmakers who embrace a vision of building a better world.
