Tribeca Film Festival

Sunday, April 29-----Tribeca Enterprises, the parent company of the Tribeca Film Festival, and ESPN Inc., the worldwide leader in sports entertainment, have collaborated this year for the inaugural Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, which will take place during the 12 days of the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.  In its debut, the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will offer screenings of 14 feature lfilms including 12 World Premieres, a special Tribeca Talks panel discussion and “Sports Saturday,” a free, outdoor, day of interactive sports related games and demonstrations next week.   

THE POWER OF THE GAME

Film Premieres at the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival include: 

• CHOPS, a documentary directed by Bruce Broder (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   Each year, Jazz at Lincoln Center and its artistic director, Wynton Marsalis, host the prestigious Essentially Ellington Festival, a competition of high school jazz bands from across the country. This toe-tapping and empowering documentary focuses on one Florida band filled with young musicians who hit all the right notes.
• DOUBLETIME, a documentary directed by Stephanie Johnes (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere.   If seeing is believing, watching these kids Double Dutch elicits double-takes and disbelief. Chronicling the world of competitive jump roping, this energetic documentary follows two teenage teams that combine dance and gymnastics to breathtaking effect, as they prepare and contend for the world championship at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
• THE FINAL SEASON, directed by David Evans, written by Art D’Alessandro. (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   Baseball is everything in Norway, Iowa, but when government authorities decide the small town's population no longer warrants its own high school, a longstanding baseball tradition is in peril. Sean Astin stars as the new and untested coach who must provide Norway with one exciting final season in this heartwarming story based on true events.
• THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY, a documentary directed by John and Brad Hennegan.  (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   Heartbreak and hope abound in this engrossing documentary about the holy grail of horse racing-the Kentucky Derby. Two brothers travel from Arkansas to Dubai and on to Churchill Downs to trace the paths of six rising equine stars, including the heroic Barbaro, and the people, passion and dreams at the core of this breakneck competition.

THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY

• THE GRAND, directed by Zak Penn (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   Woody Harrelson goes all-in to save his dead grandfather's hotel-casino from a real estate developer in this hilarious mockumentary. His master plan: to win the world's most famous high stakes tournament, the Grand Championship of Poker. Anteing up the laughs are Werner Herzog, Cheryl Hines, David Cross, Ray Romano and Dennis Farina.
• THE HAMMER, directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld, written by Kevin Hench.  (U.S.A.) -World Premiere.   In an underdog comedy that never pulls a punch, an aging boxer now working as a construction worker (Adam Carolla) is convinced by a wily coach to step back into the ring after a 20-year hiatus. Though the former rising champion is well past his prime, he embarks on a rollicking quest for what he missed the first time around: a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team.
• HELLFIGHTERS, a documentary directed by Jon Frankel (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   The Hellfighters, Harlem's only high school football team, are a long way from Friday Night Lights. The bleachers are empty, practice space scarce and the Board of Education ruthless, but under the perseverance of coach Duke Ferguson, the Hellfighters are playing their way out of the ghetto, one touchdown at a time.
• CHAVEZ, a documentary marking Diego Luna’s directorial debut (Mexico) - World Premiere.  Actor Diego Luna (Y Tu Mamá También) steps behind the camera for this heartfelt documentary about the life and career of his countryman, Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez, considered one of the sport's--and Mexico's--all-time greats. Luna follows Chávez through the final bouts of his career, even as he proudly passes the torch of boxing to his son.
• KING OF KONG, a documentary directed by Seth Gordon (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere.   To those in the know, no classic arcade game is more difficult than Donkey Kong. Maybe that's why the world record holder is so protective of his celebrity. Look inside this world of competitive gaming, as obsession and ego drive a diverse and fascinating group of individuals to fight over who is the real "King of Kong." 
• PLANET  B-BOY, a documentary directed by Benson Lee (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   A powerful documentary about the vibrant global resurgence of break-dancing, Planet B-Boy goes inside the underground hip hop dance scenes around the world, as the best crews prepare for the "The Battle of the Year" -- an annual "World Cup" of b-boying. Director Lee combines spectacular dance footage with poignant insight explaining why these dancers make tremendous sacrifices for their art.

 STEEP

• THE POWER OF THE GAME, a documentary directed by Michael Apted (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.  Six stories intertwine in this dramatic and moving examination of the social impact of soccer across the world. Juxtaposing thrilling footage from games leading to and throughout the 2006 World Cup, Apted highlights stories of triumph over adversity from around the globe and skillfully conveys the remarkable transformative power of this sport.
• SONS OF SAKHNIN UNITED, a documentary directed by Christopher Browne (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   Jews and Arabs striving for a common goal can seem unlikely in today's world, and yet-as depicted in this insightful documentary-the small Arab town of Sakhnin has been united by sport. Beating the odds in a quixotic quest for Israel's State Cup, the multi-ethnic soccer team B'nei Sakhnin battles to maintain their Premier League status. 
• STEEP, a documentary directed by Mark Obenhaus (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.  Whether it's jumping out of a helicopter hovering above the powdery slopes of Alaska's mountain ranges or trying to outrun an avalanche in the French Alps, Steep traces the legacy of extreme skiing from its early pioneers to the death-defying daredevils of today.
• UNSTRUNG, a documentary directed by Rob Klug (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.   Much as Spellbound did for spelling bees, Unstrung exposes the surprising dramas of the juniors tennis world, hitting the road with a handful of teenage competitors as they head for the national championship. This inspiring documentary records the tremendous pressure and the sweat, blood and tears that can separate contenders from champions.

Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Online Dailies Editor