The feature films, documentaries, and shorts slated to screen at the Gasparilla International Film Festival, opening Thursday night, aren’t tied together by any particular theme, per se.
But there are at least five notable sports-oriented works on the program, a GIFF trend that’s perhaps apropos for a film festival held in a state where the weather permits year-round sports.
Two — the drama Sugar, written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (the filmmakers behind 2006 indie favorite Half Nelson) and the documentary Kassim the Dream — are highly anticipated, and several boast Florida connections.
Below is the rundown on the films, courtesy of GIFF. For all the details on the festival, go to the fest site.
Sugar, a narrative drama, follows the story of Miguel Santos, a.k.a. Sugar, a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro De Macorís, struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Miguel finally gets his break, but ultimately questions his life’s ambition after injuries, loneliness and reality sets in. Algenis Soto Perez, the film’s young star, plans to be in attendance.
Kassim the Dream, a documentary, tells the story of a boxing champions’ detrimental childhood as a soldier, kidnapped by an African rebel army. Kassim finds his escape through boxing and finally made it to the United States, freeing him from 12 years of captivity. Kassim Ouma, a Florida resident and World Champion boxer, plans to be in attendance for the screenings and will lead a film chat.
HENRY O! tells the remarkable and inspiring story of Henry Oliu, a blind man who followed his dream and became an announcer for the home town Tampa Bay Rays. Using his love for sports and an encyclopedic memory, Henry hears the crack of the bat and knows if it’s a single, double, or homerun; he listens for the ball singing into the catcher’s mitt and knows if it’s a curveball, fastball, or change-up. Henry is the color analyst on Mega Classica 820 radio, WMGG in the Tampa Bay Area and will be in attendance with the filmmakers.”