The Chameleons by Patrick Botticchio
Brought together by football, friendship and camaraderie, The Chameleons chase their dreams!
A heartwarming film about camaraderie and sportsmanship across borders and abilities from Swiss documentary director Patrick Botticchio.
An adventure awaits the young players of the inclusive football team The Chameleons, and emotions are running high as they prepare to leave their Swiss hometown Lugano for an important tournament in Germany. To defend their jersey on the field they will have to remain strong and united. But away games are nerve-racking… Will our heroes handle the pressure of a competition far from home?
Freelance documentary director and cinematographer Patrick Botticchio’s tender and uplifting documentary The Chameleons, follows a young, mixed-ability soccer team from the Italian-speaking region of south Switzerland as they head to the Special Adventure Camp in Bonn, Germany to compete in a pan-European tournament for young people with and without disabilities. Accompanying the team and their trainers through nerves, joy and tears, the film shows how differences can be bridged by football, friendship – and open hearts and minds.
Patrick Botticchio
Swiss documentary director Patrick Botticchio trained in Switzerland as a professional photographer, and studied cinematography at the prestigious ESCAC film school in Spain. After working as director of photography on a number of short films and videos, he returned to Switzerland to work as camera operator with Swiss public TV network RSI. Botticchio’s career as a director was launched with his first feature documentary “Blenio, Utah” (2019), which was recognised with several international awards. In 2009, he cofounded the production company Primitive Films with editor Alberto Bernad. Together they currently produce national productions and internat ional co-product ions of documentaries and fiction.
