Actor Idris Elba Makes Film Directing Debut

British actor, rapper and DJ Idris Elba has added another string to his impressive bow by taking the reins on a new short film project, Unstoppable.

The film, also written by the star, is made in collaboration with Pepsi MAX and transports viewers back to the 1970s – an era close to Elba’s heart – to follow a young nerd as he negotiates the unpredictable gauntlet of the school playing field.

Set in ‘the golden age of football’, the short explores the hidden talents within unlikely people and features football skills expert Zach Hamilton. The piece is set to the latest hit from Dutch DJ R3HAB featuring singer Eva Simons and is the third track on the Pepsi MAX Beats of the Beautiful Game album.

“When I first heard the song I really loved the idea of being unstoppable – its self-belief, it's someone that just says ‘Guess what? I can do anything I want to do,’” says Elba.

“I like the whole 70s era, the haircuts and the style and I chose a character that is stereotypically a nerd and isn’t sporty looking but it turns out that he really is good at football, and he is unstoppable when he starts to let himself go."

The song and film are part of an exclusive collection of 11 collaborations capturing the spirit of football in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup. Other projects in the collection feature the likes of Kelly Rowland, Rita Ora, Don Omar and Timbaland, as well as dynamic film directors Spike Lee, Jessy Terrero, Diego Luna, Andy Morahan and The Kolton Brothers.

The album is part of the Pepsi MAX football campaign, which will continue to deliver experiences to football fans throughout 2014.