Tag: ryan fleck

Gasparilla International Film Festival: Sports Films Take Center Field

February 25th, 2009

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.

ESPN’s The Streak is a hometown feature on Brandon High School’s extraordinary wrestling team. Coach Russ Cozart led the team on a winning streak for 34 straight years with 459 consecutive victories and 468 undefeated matches, two current national records. The screening of this film will coincide with the DVD release by ESPN on Amazon.com. Coach Cozart will attend and receive the Gasparilla Outstanding Achievement Award.

Truth in 24 was created by NFL Films. Director Keith Cossrow and co-director Bennett Viseltear and follows the ‘Audi Sport’ racing team, one of the most dominant sports team in the history of professional sports. With unprecedented access to Team Audi and the crew, “Truth In 24” explores Team Audi’s history of domination at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as the complications, as the team prepares for the 2008 race. Audi intends to bring the R10 TDI to the separate screenings at Channelside Theaters and the Beach Theater in St Pete Beach.

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.”
Gasparilla Intl Film Festival: Program Announced

February 9th, 2009

Nothing But the Truth, as previously noted, is the ripped-from-the-headlines political drama slated to open the third annual Gasparilla International Film Festival, Feb. 26 at Tampa Theatre.

The festival, twice as long as last year’s event, runs through March 11 at various Tampa Bay area venues, including Channelside Cinemas, the University of Tampa, and the Tampa Firefighters Museum in Ybor City.

Several other notable features, including Florida premieres, are slated to play the festival. On the list:

What Doesn’t Kill You, the directorial debut of actor Brian Goodman; the crime drama stars Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, and Amanda Peet.

Misconceptions, a controversial comic drama from television director Ron Satlof, with A.J. Cook, Orlando Jones, David Moscow and Sarah Carter.

Kassim the Dream, a documentary about the world-champ Ugandan boxer who, as a child soldier, committed atrocities.

Il Divo, an Italian-French drama concerning the life of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti.

Truth in 24, a documentary following Audi Sport racing teams at Le Mans.

Sugar, a drama about a Dominican pitcher struggling to make it to the big leagues. The film was written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who teamed for 2006’s acclaimed indie Half Nelson.

Amal, a Canadian film, in English and Hindi, concerning an autorickshaw driver in New Delhi.

Fix, a drama, inspired by true events, detailing the efforts of a pair of documentary filmmakers to get a man from jail to rehab in one day. The action, in Los Angeles, ranges from Beverly Hills to Watts, with multiple stops in between.

Also on tap is the first public showing of The Steam Experiment, a thriller starring Val Kilmer, Armand Assante and Eric Roberts, directed by Philippe Martinez (Citizen Verdict). The cast also includes St. Petersburg native Megan Brown.

More details on the films, screening times and related events are TBA today. For additional information, visit the official fest site.

Tag: ryan fleck

Gasparilla International Film Festival: Sports Films Take Center Field

Gasparilla Intl Film Festival: Program Announced