Are you a fan of Major League Soccer? The US Men's Soccer Team? Independent Films?

Who am I kidding, if you are a fan of soccer in general or even not a sports fan but a fan of independent films, or just good stories then you will have a chance in a couple weeks to watch a very cool movie.

I think the story of Jay DeMerit is simply amazing, it shows that you should never let go of your dreams, that passion and perseverance do pay off, and that you never, every quit what you love. The effort to tell that story via Rise & Shine is also one that is amazing, how a couple a film makers documented the story and how they used a grassroots effort to fund the movie and how now their efforts will be showing up not at some film festival, but in mainstream theaters across the US.

Here is a bit of info from the press release:

The 92-minute film traces the Green Bay, Wisc.-native's journey from failed tryouts with Major League Soccer through early frustrations in English football's lowest divisions. In an inspiring sports tale, DeMerit ultimately triumphs in soccer glory becoming a captain for England's Watford FC and joining Team USA as a hard-charging center halfback at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

A captivating tale told through interviews with DeMerit's coaches, fellow players, family and friends, "RISE & SHINE" features game footage from competitions around the world including cameos by soccer greats such as Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and Landon Donovan. DeMerit - whose exploits in England included scoring the so-called "£40 million goal" that helped promote Watford into the lucrative Premier League - hopes to encourage aspiring athletes and others.

After the jump how you can see the movie:

So here is a list of all the showings of the movie, but here in Salt Lake City we are lucky because not only do we get a chance to see the movie as part of the premier on Friday, November 4th (at both Megaplex 17 & Megaplex 20) but if you can't make the premiers the movie will be showing for a week at both of those locations, in fact you can go online and order your tickets now at

Megaplex 20 - at the District
or
Megaplex 17 -at Jordan Commons

So like I said the story of Jay's career is one that as the trailer says "is that of a real life rocky", but the way that the soccer community came together to support the making and distribution of this film is also one that is simply incredible. It was the fans of soccer who funded this movie, and the support of the effort by all the soccer media that was simply a story onto itself.

You can check out the trailer to the movie here on itunes, or in the new iphone/ipad movie trailers app, I believe if you watch the trailer you will want to watch the movie. So what are you waiting for go watch the trailer and then buy your tickets to either the premier or one of the other showings.

OFF MY SOAPBOX