Once In A Lifetime Watch the trailer for the soccer doc about the New York Cosmos.

Producer John Battsek is under no pretence about the realities of his job. "The process of getting people for a documentary is a skill I'm not remotely proud of," he once said. "You have to be able to crawl unbelievably, grovel spectacularly and generally throw yourself at people's feet begging." Clearly it's a job he's good at, having coaxed a terrorist out of hiding and the Gallagher brothers to discuss Damon Albarn (we can only guess which was the more challenging).

Having produced a documentary for TV in 2002 about North Korea's shock success at the 1966 World Cup finals, he now turns his attention to another unlikely football tale: the New York Cosmos.

Co-directed by John Dower (who worked with Battsek on 2003's Britpop doc Live Forever) and American Paul Crowder (Riding Giants), Once In A Lifetime is an entrancing documentary recounting the golden years in the late 70s when the Cosmos and Brazilian legend Pele took Manhattan by storm and briefly threatened to kick-start soccer in the States.

The film shares similarities with Battsek's first documentary, 1999's One Day In September: a jaw-dropping storyline that beggars belief; stacked soundtrack that's dripping with gems from the period; and A-list Hollywood narrator (Matt Dillon's blue-collar drawl replaces Michael Douglas this time round).

In the video John talks about his extensive duties as producer, and why he's determined to eventually make a fiction film that isn't rubbish.

Once In A Lifetime is released in UK cinemas on Friday 19th May 2006.

Adrian Hennigan | Published 18 May 06

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