Ultras Documentary Celebrates Football's Most Passionate Fan Culture
Ragnhild Ekner's documentary Ultras presents a visually epic and surprisingly positive exploration of football's most dedicated supporters, a subculture often maligned in mainstream media. The film serves as a love letter to these super-fans while acknowledging the complex contradictions within their world.
A Global Phenomenon of Passionate Support
Ekner, an IFK Göteborg fanatic herself, travels across continents to demonstrate how ultra culture represents a universal phenomenon. From Sweden to Morocco, Italy to Indonesia, the documentary captures breathtaking collective displays that transcend national boundaries. The film argues that becoming an ultra represents an act of individualistic rebellion against what many perceive as a suffocating political and economic status quo.
The documentary showcases remarkable examples of fan creativity, particularly through the creation of tifos – those giant banners unfurled during matches featuring club insignia or elaborate tableaux. One sequence details how Göteborg ultras invested an estimated 2,200 man hours and €30,000 worth of labor, with all work and materials donated purely out of love for their club.
Community and Contradiction in Fan Culture
Ekner emphasizes that hardcore fandom functions primarily as an extended family, creating powerful bonds of solidarity where the football itself can become almost incidental. The film captures stunning synchronized performances, including PSS Sleman supporters in Java transforming their terrace into a quasi-pixelated display through coordinated paper-waving that creates jaw-dropping visual effects.
However, the documentary's celebratory approach means it soft-pedals some less photogenic aspects of ultra culture. While acknowledging ultras' collective force – what writer Martin Amis once called "the Jupiter of the crowd" – Ekner doesn't deeply interrogate the many contradictions within this subculture.
Navigating Complex Realities
The film raises but doesn't fully explore difficult questions: How does the empowerment ultra culture provides young Muslim women square with the macho codes governing Argentinian stadiums where female supporters must abide by restrictive norms? The documentary also skates euphemistically over hooliganism and the far-right or paramilitary affiliations of some ultras groups, particularly relevant in today's global political climate.
Even the aesthetics showcased – billowing flags, coordinated masses – carry latent fascist associations that Ekner prefers to ignore. Yet she also captures intriguing moments that position ultraism as a lifegiving, elemental force, such as the sound of crashing ocean waves beneath cascading chants or a follower of Argentina's Nueva Chicago discussing how fandom helped her overcome the grief of losing her son.
A Partial but Compelling Perspective
Other segments highlight Ekner's view that ultras can be politically progressive, featuring British non-league fans reclaiming football from the Premiership's hyper-capitalism and al-Ahly diehards who played significant roles during Egypt's Tahrir Square protests. While presenting a partial perspective that emphasizes the positive aspects of ultra culture, the documentary's stunning visuals and heartfelt testimonials make it difficult not to be swept along by its passionate portrayal.
Ultras offers a fascinating window into a global subculture that combines artistic creativity, community building, and political expression, even as it navigates the darker aspects of this passionate fan phenomenon. The film opens in UK cinemas from 24 April, providing audiences with a unique opportunity to understand football's most dedicated supporters beyond the stereotypes.
