A growing number of people throughout the world are becoming interested in American football. Countries like Germany are leading the way in terms of expanding the sport with the establishment of professional leagues and a diverse array of clubs headquartered in the country’s most populous cities. The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, a team from a tiny German town that came to fame in the 2010s and is now one of the most fearsome in Europe, are an exception.
There will be a documentary made on the Unicorns, called Unicorn Town, and the first teaser illustrates how this diminutive group of players stormed the German Football League and gained a place among the league’s many other contenders. Nick Alfieri, a former Schwäbisch Hall player, is the director of the sports documentary Unicorn Town. American pros, including Alfieri, paired up with German amateurs at Schwäbisch Hall to create an all-star squad. One of the favourites for the Bundesliga title year after year, the Unicorns were able to do it without the financial resources of their rivals.
Although they are from a little town with a population of 40,000, they compete against much larger cities and win. It’s a matter of whether or not they can compete despite their disadvantages, or whether they’re doomed to fade away as more money pours into the game. The trailer opens with a shot of the Unicorns’ cult following in their own land. Since they’ve ruled Schwäbisch Hall for so long, no one has any doubts about their identity. There is a strong sense of community pride in the squad, which draws large audiences and gives out autographs. All that affection from home also brings with it the crushing reality of being a small-town team and the anxiety of being shut out by larger rivals like the Braunschweig Lions, who are more like the New York Yankees.
Not only do players and coaches have something to say about it, but also the general public. Many Americans, like Alfieri, have discovered possibilities in Schwäbisch Hall that were unavailable to them in their own countries. As Alfieri shows through a mix of interviews with players and European sports luminaries, having a team to gather around and be a part of is hugely important. Alfieri, who also serves as the narrator, wrote, directed, edited, and produced Unicorn Town. Alfieri was a collegiate football player in the United States before moving to Europe to play with the Unicorns. In the past, he worked as a co-producer on Brent Craft’s Lady-Like, a film about a former arena football player turned filmmaker.
Alfieri’s directorial debut is Craft’s way of repaying the favour, as he serves as a producer on the picture. Additionally, the film was produced by Gravitas Ventures and NFL Films. Alfieri is joined by Siegfried Gehrke, Devin Benton, Tyler “Rudy” Rutenbeck, and Moritz Böhringer, the first Eurorpean player to be picked in the NFL draught. Along with Jordan Neuman and Thomas “Smoke” Rauch, the cast also includes Cody Pastorino, Marco Ehrenfried, Cody Pastorinos, Joseph “Jojo” Joyner, “Jerome Manyema,”Bruno Michitti,” Daniel Docal,” and Gerhard “Jerry” Jäger.
Sven Löffler and Paul Monusky, together with Danny Hamouie, Matthew Nemeth, and Natassja Eckerström with Alfieri and Craft are the producers of Unicorn Town. Christian McCaffrey, a great running back for the Carolina Panthers, serves as an executive producer on the film. His Stanford roommate and best buddy, Joey Alfieri, was Alfieri’s brother, thus McCaffrey joined the project in 2019 partially out of interest – he has a minor in cinema. August 19th is the release date for Unicorn Town.