Irfan Bachdim, the golden boy of Indonesian football, is preparing to take his game from the pitch to the big screen.
The Persema Malang striker is set to star in “Tendangan Dari Langit” (“Kick From the Sky”). He will be joined by two of his teammates from the Indonesian Premier League club, German-born Kim Kurniawan and Bima Sakti, Persema’s captain.
Production is expected to start in the middle of May. The film tells the story of a high school student named Wahyu, from Bromo, East Java, who aspires to play for the national football team.
The lead character’s story was inspired in part by Irfan’s own struggles to become a professional footballer.
Irfan became an instant celebrity when he scored a goal in his national team debut against Malaysia during last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup. Indonesia won 5-1.
Abdul Aziz, a spokesman for Sinemart Pictures, which is producing the movie, said the idea for the story came from Persema coach Timo Scheunemann.
“The film is not just about drama, but it will be an inspiration and motivation for all the talented youngsters who want to become future national football stars,” Aziz said.
The film will be shot in Malang, Bromo and other locations around East Java.
Sinemart Pictures has yet to cast the role of Wahyu.
The film is scheduled to be screened later this year.
Oktofani's Page 