Alan is deeply in love with Gona and has been keeping it a secret for years. When he finally works up the courage to ask Gona’s father for her hand in marriage, his proposal is denied because of his small stature. Crushed by this verdict, Alan convinces his brother Shirwan, a huge Real Madrid fan, to join him on a mission to deliver a pair of handmade Kurdish soccer shoes to famed Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. With the hope that the attention of Ronaldo will change Gona’s father’s mind about their relationship, the two brothers hit the road and set out on an epic journey of self-discovery and adventure.

El Clásico refers to the highly competitive and widely televised match between Spanish football rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona, and it’s in this spirit that the film derives its beating pulse. Sublimely sweet and unabashedly sincere, El Clásico is a heartwarming comedy—anchored by two stellar performances by first-time actors—about two little people who refuse to think small.

—Shayna Weingast

Halkawt Mustafa