An Israeli documentary about racism in soccer won an Emmy Award on Monday night in the Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary category.
Director Maya Zinstein's "Forever Pure," which follows the controversial Beitar Jerusalem soccer team, focuses on fan backlash against Beitar Jerusalem over its signing of Muslim players in 2013.
The film was broadcast on the Independent Lens show, which airs on the U.S.'s Public Broadcasting Service network.
The film premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival in 2016, where it won the "Best Documentary" and "Best Director" categories. It went on to air on the BBC and played at a wide variety of film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival.
Zinstein's film focuses on Beitar Jerusalem's 2012-2013 season, which was mired in controversy after the team's fan club, known for its far-right politics and infamous for its anti-Arab chants, launched a campaign against the signing of Djebrail Kadiyev and Zaur Sadayev, two Chechen Muslim players.
The campaign was led by the club's hard-core, racist fan base, dubbed "La Familia."
The violent protests eventually forced the team to hire bodyguards to protect the two players.
Beitar Jerusalem's offices were also the target of an arson attack blamed on La Familia. The fire destroyed all of the team's trophies, including its six national championship cups.
As the campaign persisted, Sadayev and Kadiyev eventually left the team.
The Israel Football Association has repeatedly fined the team over its fans' rioting and chanting of racist slogans during games.
Beitar Jerusalem, most recently sold to entrepreneur Moshe Hogeg, has been trying to change its image. Last year, it received an award from President Reuven Rivlin for its efforts to tackle racism and for significantly reducing the number of racist chants.
"'Forever Pure' is a stranger-than-fiction documentary about an Israeli soccer club," executive producer Lois Vossen said as he accepted the Emmy on behalf of Zinstein, who did not attend the ceremony.
"We hope that it also becomes a warning of how racism can destroy a team or a society from within."
Zinstein told Israel Hayom that she "didn't think we had a chance of winning."
"It's amazing to see what has happened since my cameraman and I began running after Beitar players on the field," she said.
"This started out as something very small and it has ended up garnering so much respect. It's also amazing to see what's going on with the team now, with its new owner and with how the entire issue of racism has left the sports pages and permeated public discourse.
"When you set out to make one [a documentary], there are two things you don't dare dream about: that it will effect change, and that it will win an Emmy, and now both have happened."
Zinstein also thanked the New Fund for Cinema and Television, saying its contribution to the production was "invaluable. They were the first to believe in me."
She added that "government intervention in such funds can deal a massive blow to independent filmmakers like me if it prevents us from dealing with sensitive social issues in the future."
