Blue Moon Rising (film)
Blue Moon Rising is a British sports documentary about Manchester City Football Club during the 2009–2010 season, released on 17 September 2010. The film was directed by Stewart Sugg, produced by Nick London, with Endemol Sport handling production and distribution. At 97 minutes, the English-language movie follows the club after its takeover by Sheikh Mansour, blending on-pitch action with the supporters’ perspective.
The documentary includes exclusive interviews with key figures such as chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and manager Roberto Mancini, and offers an inside look at the dressing room and boardroom. It also features footage from players’ homes and follows a group of City fans traveling the country in a Renault Espace nicknamed “Helios.” The project was developed with Manchester City to raise the club’s profile and was originally conceived as a television documentary.
Blue Moon Rising premiered on 10 September 2010 in Manchester, with a gradual cinema release starting the week of 17 September and a general release on 8 November 2010. A DVD and Blu-ray edition was released on 8 November 2010. The film received mixed reviews: it was praised for strong production values and its accessible portrayal of football supporters, while some critics felt it lacked deeper nuance. The Times called it entertaining and poignant, Time Out described it as tense and engaging, whereas The Guardian criticized it for not offering enough depth. The home video release topped the sports DVD charts and remained in the top 10 for about ten weeks.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:09 (CET).