The writer\/director tells RadioTimes.com that there were “no rules” when it came to adapting the documentary about the American Samoan football team. <\/p>

Towards the start of his new film Next Goal Wins, Taika Waititi makes it clear that there are a fair few \u201cembellishments\u201d in his retelling of the 2014 documentary feature of the same name.<\/p>\n

As with the doc, the film tells the story of the American Samoan football team after Dutch coach Thomas Rongen (Micahel Fassbender) is charged with turning their fortunes around and salvaging their reputation as the worst international football team in the world.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere are certain things that I think it\u2019s very important that people understand \u2013 which is this idea of acceptance that we have in the islands and especially around the fa\u2019afafine culture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then I think the details around the game \u2013 like they got a goal<\/span> and then they won and those things. And then Thomas\u2019s character has got\u2026 there\u2019s definitely truth to that [with] his daughter [who passed away] and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also detailed that there were some things in the film that audience members might think are \u201ccompletely made up\u201d but are based on truth \u2013 such as the TV show \u2018Who\u2019s on the Plane\u2019 and a speech Thomas Rongen gives about the Tongan wars.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Saelua revealed that she greatly approved of some of the changes Waititi had made to the film.<\/p>\n
\u201cJaiyah\u2019s character has a lot of additions that I really appreciate,\u201d she said. \u201cShe scores some goals, but more importantly she gets to body slam Thomas Rongen \u2013 I only wish I could do that!\u201d<\/p>