Josh Gloer’s refugee soccer documentary seeks distributor after world premiere

Documentary filmmaker Josh Gloer is currently searching for a distribution deal to bring his new film, Chasing Goals, to theaters and streaming platforms. The movie, which had its world premiere at the Gem Theater in September, follows Global FC, a youth soccer team in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast composed largely of boys from refugee backgrounds. Despite backing from major production entities, the project lacks a release date.

The narrative focuses on the players’ transition from African refugee camps to life in the Kansas City East Side. While the boys find respite on the field, they face poverty and gun violence in their neighborhoods. During the premiere, audience members reacted with audible gasps to interviews with the players, including a 15-year-old from Tanzania named Donat, who compared seizing opportunities to grasping for air while drowning.

Gloer, a 47-year-old Liberty resident, began working with the team in 2023 after volunteering with Jewish Vocational Services. His initial motivation stemmed from frustration with anti-refugee sentiment and a desire to document the resettlement process for his daughter. He filmed the team’s practice sessions at East High School and their journey to the USA Cup in Minneapolis, the largest youth soccer tournament in the nation. The film includes scenes of the boys competing and interacting, capturing both the athletic intensity and the universal awkwardness of teenage life.

The production secured support from Trevor Noah’s production company, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Foolish Club Studios, and Wavelength. This backing provided promotional visibility, including during Kansas City’s World Cup festivities. However, securing a distributor remains the primary hurdle for the project, a task Gloer describes as a distinct challenge from the creative process of making the film.

Gloer took a hiatus from his true-crime work in the Los Angeles film industry to shoot Chasing Goals. He cited advice from his 9-year-old daughter, who asked why he did not make a film he liked, as the catalyst for the project. The experience altered his perspective on his career, and he stated that the change was worth the effort. For now, the film is available to the public only through an extended trailer on chasinggoalsfilm.com.

The project reflects a broader effort to highlight the specific challenges faced by refugee youth in the United States. Gloer noted that some players expressed a desire to return to their native countries, preferring the familiarity of refugee camps to the noise and violence of their current environment. This dynamic is central to the film’s emotional core, presenting a complex picture of displacement and adaptation.