Star Wars alumna Daisy Ridley is set to narrate We Were There, a recently announced documentary series set to explore what it describes as the “remarkable human stories” from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The series was announced by FIFA and Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the government body set up to help organize the World Cup, and is being co-produced by Noah Media Group and HBS, and will be available worldwide as a series of eight 30-minute episodes centered around the key heroes of the tournament, both on and off the pitch.
In addition to telling the story of the tournament, each episode is structured as a short documentary with a narrative that establishes the backstory of the main characters, explores their journey to Qatar, and witnesses key matches through their eyes. Contributors include several members of Argentina’s winning team, including coach Lionel Scaloni, Golden Glove-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, striker Julian Alvarez and the player who took the winning penalty in the final, Gonzalo Montiel. Other stars involved include French coach Didier Deschamps, Manchester United’s Portuguese Bruno Fernandes, Uruguay striker Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Real Madrid and Brazil striker Rodrygo, Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat, Croatian penalty shootout hero Dominik Livakovic and coach Zlatko Dalic.
Meanwhile, “We Were There” also follows several fan stories, including the Saudi fan who crossed the desert to see his team defeat eventual tournament winners Argentina, to the young player who shared a personal moment with France star Kylian Mbappe.
The series is directed by Luke Mellows (“Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes,” “Dan Carter: A Perfect 10”) and produced by Noah Media Group’s Taron Thind and executive produced by Richard Makinson. Noah Media Group’s President of International Sales, Catherine Quangcheng, will be responsible for global sales for the series.
“Having presented the event itself, we were excited to have the opportunity to tell the story again from a different perspective,” said Dan Miodownik, CEO of HBS. “After the high-intensity drama and passion that accompanied the tournament, the story of the people of Qatar, and the stories of the visiting international fans, provides a personal touch. We thank FIFA and the SC for the opportunity to share this latest part of the story, in partnership with Noah Media Group.”
“We Were There brings together an incredible cast of football stars and passionate fans from around the world with the incredible archive of the world’s biggest sporting event,” added Quang Cheng of Noah Media Group. “We look forward to making this series available to global buyers.”
