Here's an explanation of "offside" in soccer. It's kind of a difficult rule to understand and to call if you are a ref:
In outdoor soccer, an offside foul is called when an offensive player, or attacking player, is passed the ball and there are not at least two opponents between him or her and the goal line. Usually, these are the goalkeeper and one other defender, but not necessarily. The penalty for an offside foul is that the other team is given possession of the ball.
The rule was created to prevent offensive players from "cherry picking" near the opponents' goal. Without the rule, offensive players could hover near their opponents' goal even when the play is on the other side of the field, with the hope of a long pass and an easy goal. The offside rule still allows for the chance to score.
It's also important to note that offside applies at the moment the ball is passed, not at the moment the ball is received. Therefore, if the offensive player that will receive the pass is "onside" at the time the ball is passed, but then runs behind the unsuspecting defender before receiving the pass, the receiving offensive player is not offsides.
Why do you think Panahi titled his movie "Offside"?
3 comments:
I think the women going to the game is analogous to a soccer player being offsides. The illustration is clearer if you think of offsides as being a soccer term for “behind enemy lines.”
To be offside is to commit a foul that calls for a penalty.
I don't think the women here are committing a foul. That, I think, is the filmmaker's whole point. The women are not doing anything that should be penalized.
It's the government that is committing a foul against its people, women and men alike. It's the government that is offside. It's treading where it does not belong.
The penalty for an offside foul is that the other team — the people — are given possession of the ball (which, I believe, is what happens at the end of this movie, at least for that one jubilant night). The people get possession of the ball.
Panahi says in the interview, doesn't he, that in order not to be offsides, a player must be prevented by opponents from moving forward. And he says women -- and the country -- are also prevented from moving forward.
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