Manchester United stars make film debut

"Manchester United: Beyond the Promised Land": goes behind the scenes of the club

LONDON, England (CNN)-- England soccer star David Beckham was the main attraction when players from the Manchester United soccer team made their debut as film stars.

Premier League stars -- including Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole -- hit the silver screen at the premiere of a film showing a year in the life of the world’s richest football club.

Beckham, who was minus wife Victoria, was mobbed by hundreds of fans as he walked along the red carpet to the premiere on Thursday.

It took Beckham 15 minutes to get to the cinema doors. Dressed in a long black leather coat and white wing collar shirt, he signed autographs for fans.

The documentary film -- Manchester United: Beyond the Promised Land -- is described as "taking a revealing look at United life in, around, and away from Old Trafford."

A "fly-on-the-wall" production unit followed the team throughout the 1999-2000 season, including a trip to Tokyo where they won the World Club title, and a trip to Brazil where they failed in their bid to be made World Club Champions.

The film records the obsession and passion of fans all round the world for the club. It has been woven together by Bob Potter, a New York-based director and producer of sports feature films.

Venue for the premiere was the Trafford Centre's UCI Cinema in Manchester, northern England, with tickets costing £150, including a black tie VIP party with the players afterwards.

The Trafford Centre in Manchester and UCI Tallaght in Dublin, Ireland, are screening exclusive presentations of the film from Friday October 13.

The club hope it will be released throughout Britain shortly afterwards and also hope to sell it worldwide. They also have plans to release it on video and on DVD.

Beckham: From football field to silver screen

A host of celebrities including several members of the team and their partners attended the premiere, from which all proceeds will go to the children's charity UNICEF.

United's director Sir Bobby Charlton, the former England start who is featured in the film, said: "I think people all over the world are going to be very impressed with this film.

"We have projects all over the world with UNICEF and we are delighted this film is helping the charity."

"Beyond the Promised Land" shows the highs and lows as the team battled to repeat the glory of the previous treble-winning season.

The film also goes behind the scenes of Manchester United as executives close sponsorship deals and discuss money matters.

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