POWER follows five elite U.S. power wheelchair soccer athletes to the World Cup. When a sudden death rocks the team, they must grapple with what it means to continue.
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In partnership with the U.S. Power Soccer Association, POWER will be the storytelling engine for recruitment and expansion of power soccer in the U.S.
in their history and in the lives of five athletes who embody its heart and soul: Drew, Natalie, Jordan, Zach, and Riley. In a sport engineered for them, these disabled athletes tear across the court and pound the ball into the goal using a joystick and centripetal force. Sharing a mutual delight in fierce competition and vengeance, these teammates rose from grassroots recreational leagues to the global stage. Still bruised from a crushing upset at the 2017 World Cup, the team is hungry to win back the gold in Sydney.
However, weeks before their departure, Drew Cunningham—the team's youngest, most relentless player—dies suddenly, obscuring the path forward with profound grief. Drew’s story serves as the heartbeat of the film, a hero’s journey and the emotional through-line of the film. Entering the gym as a quiet 12-year-old, Drew finds confidence and belonging, later confronting a heartbreaking cut from the final roster before his sudden absence. POWER transforms from a sports documentary into an intimate, cinematic exploration of collective growth, loss, and the unbreakable bond that holds this team together.
In partnership with the U.S. Power Soccer Association, POWER will be the storytelling engine for recruitment and expansion of power soccer in the U.S.
This could be Natalie Russo’s final World Cup and the end of a nearly 25-year career. Often referred to as “power soccer royalty,” her family helped establish the sport in the Midwest in 2003. Natalie and her partner Jordan fall in love, get married, and buy a house together. They confront the daily challenges of navigating an inaccessible world with resilience and humor.
Known as “The Surgeon,” Jordan is a fierce competitor and an MVP on the U.S. Power Soccer National Team. Off the court, Jordan and his partner Natalie share a life defined by love, resilience, and advocacy. Together, they push the boundaries of a world built for the non-disabled.
Zach is brash and sarcastic. He’s the player you want on your team, but fear playing against. As his disease progresses, he finds himself too weak for wheelchair basketball, yet not “disabled enough” for power soccer, which threatens his position on the team. Rather than retreat, Zach channels his energy into building the first collegiate power soccer program at Auburn University to usher in a new generation of young disabled athletes.
Drew Cunningham plays with a ventilator on the back of his chair. He may be the physically weakest on the court, but he plays a relentless hard-nose style of soccer. After a sudden hospitalization, Drew returns to the pitch determined to secure the final spot on the roster. A month before the World Cup, Drew dies unexpectedly, leaving a profound void in the team.
Riley Johnson is a legend in international power soccer. At home he is a mechanical engineer designing complex manufacturing systems. When the team rebuilds, Riley is humorously reluctant to step into the role of team captain. With the World Cup approaching, Riley must discover the kind of captain he needs to be to lead the team to gold.
Andrew Hida is a documentary director, editor, and cinematographer based in Los Angeles, CA. His work is recognizable by the intimacy in his storytelling that draws out the deeply personal and emotional complexities that make us human. Formal training in photojournalism shapes Hida’s approach to non-fiction storytelling, while his background in life sciences and conservation ecology inspires the projects he pursues.
Jessey Dearing is a Seattle-based cinematographer, director of photography and film editor. He regularly contributes to projects and stories for The New York Times and Vice News Tonight, and was a director of photography for National Geographic’s flagship series Explorer. He was a lead DP in launching Upstanders, a multi-season documentary series produced by Starbucks.
Sebastian Lletget is a first generation Argentinian-American soccer player, investor and philanthropist, currently playing as a midfielder for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. After signing his first big contract, Sebastian made his first investment in PATH water in 2019. In 2020, Sebastian was named the first official ambassador of the United States Power Soccer Association, helping to bring more awareness to the sport and its athletes. More than an athlete, he is humble, determined, and real.
Innbo Shim is an award-winning film and television producer whose work encompasses themes of social justice and human complexity. Her recent feature documentaries include PATRICE: THE MOVIE (Emmy winner/Independent Spirit-nominated) and CREEDE U.S.A. (2025 SXSW World Premiere). Her films have screened at Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, Camden, DOC NYC, Tribeca, Busan, Rotterdam, Zurich, Venice, and Camerimage. Additionally, she has produced non-fiction projects for Netflix, ABC News Studios, Hulu, CNN Films, Discovery, A&E Films, National Geographic, and PBS.
Reid Davenport makes documentaries about disability from an overtly political perspective. Reid’s feature film, Life After (2025) premiered at Sundance Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award. Reid’s first feature, I Didn’t See You There (2022) also premiered at Sundance Film Festival, winning the Directing Award. Reid’s work has been recognized by the Independent Spirit Awards, DOCNYC’s “40 Filmmakers Under 40,” the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, and the Gotham Awards.
Daniel J. Chalfen is co-founder of the Oscar, Peabody, two-time duPont-winning and eight-time Emmy-nominated production company Naked Edge Films. His recent films include the Native American runner story Remaining Native (SXSW 2025); disability justice documentary Life After (Sundance 2025); the golf short Playing Through (for Sony Digital); Loudmouth (executive produced by John Legend, for Showtime/BET); the soccer story Captains of Zaatari for Hulu; the Netflix Original Pray Away (executive produced by Ryan Murphy); and the online gaming competition film Gamchangers: Dreams of Blizzcon (executive produced by Vince Vaughn).
