Ultras

Filmmaker Ragnhild Ekner takes viewers into the heart of the most passionate football subcultures around the world in Ultras. Known for their boisterous displays involving flares, drums, and flags as well as their regular clashes with police, these fans have been a prominent part of any matchday for decades. To Ekner, this culture represents “an act of resistance, an uprising against loneliness”. It’s about people coming together as a collective, which is why, she explains in the opening voiceover, the faces of those speaking are never shown on camera. These voices echo the director’s sentiment, celebrating the sense of community and solidarity their shared passion brings. Ultras is a love letter to diehard fans. But it’s one that’s fragmented and tends to skim over the darker side of football.

Unity is the main message that this documentary aims to get across. As viewers watch thousands of fans sing together, sometimes to genuinely moving effect, it becomes clear that the supporters’ words are more than rhetoric. Whether it’s England, Indonesia, Argentina, or Morocco, there’s something remarkably human about people coming together to perform. Moreover, this fervour transcends the pitch, often amplifying parts of the nation’s own culture and politics. In Indonesia, for example, the ultra subculture has become a space where young women are treated equally to men, while the chants of Moroccan ultras voice discontent towards an oppressive regime.

Given the variety of nations covered alongside snippets of history and fan anecdotes, Ekner covers a lot of ground within a relatively short runtime. What’s included is compelling and visually pleasing, but rarely explored further than a handful of soundbites. It doesn’t help that everything is arranged within a loose structure that jumps back and forth between topics. The biggest issue is how Ekner handles the subject of violence. Some fans reflect on the public being afraid of them, while other scenes show clashes between supporters and police. With the notable exception of the Port Said riot, hooliganism is largely dismissed, with the film handwaving it away as being another part of the lifestyle.

The ultra subculture is a lot like punk rock. It rejects the status quo for something that aims to be spontaneous and authentic. While it can be rough and aggressive, it’s primarily about community. Ekner’s portrait of the subculture is fascinating and detailed, but it feels like part of the picture is missing.