U.S. Sports Film Festival Announces Complete Schedule Of Events

Organizers of the inaugural U.S. Sports Film Festival today announced the complete schedule of events that will comprise the four-day event taking place in Philadelphia from Oct. 23-26.

In all, the USSFF will have more than 40 screenings. Recently added films include:
Bud Greenspan’s “16 Days to Glory;” “First Basket,” follows the little-known history of Jews and basketball at the beginning of the 20th century; “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” the story of the famed 1968 Ivy League football game between two of the most renowned academic institutions in the world; “Peglegs of St. Stuyvesant High,” the documentary produced by five-time Emmy winner Paulette Douglas, following Manhattan’s Stuyvesant High School football team and the lives of Max Niddam, Romeo Alexander and Aaron Landman; “Pittsburgh Passion,” this documentary brings you football with a spin, following the lives of the Pittsburgh Passion of the International Women’s Football League (IWFL); “Running the Sahara,” Charlie, Ray and Kevin touched the Red Sea, just a few hours before sunset en route through six countries and the Sahara; “Streetballers,” is an Irish-Urban drama exploring the lives of two junior-college basketball players and their struggles within a divided city, broken homes, and the demands of collegiate level athletics; “Sugar,” a fictional true-to-life drama around the character of Miguel “Sugar” Santos, a hot Dominican pitching prospect for the fictional Kansas City Knights, who has a dream to make it in the big leagues;  “The Hammer,” the story of a guy edging into middle age trying to become a success fighting guys half his age; and “We Are Young,” the Major League Baseball production which spans seven years chronicling the highs and lows of brothers Delmon and Dmitri Young’s journey to make and succeed in the Major Leagues.

These films join an All-Star lineup that includes the Mixed Martial Arts documentary “Renzo Gracie: Legacy;” the debut of “Basketball in the Barrio,” the story of two former University of Texas El Paso basketball players who started a program teaching basketball to the impoverished immigrant children of South El Paso, and the stories of those who used basketball as a tool for fulfillment, as well as “Kicking It,” the Ted Leonsis-produced film about a team of homeless soccer players and their life stories and successes on the pitch; ”Run For Your Life,” the true story of Fred Lebow, who created the New York City Marathon; “Kassim The Dream,” the story of Ugandan-born (and Philadelphia resident) boxing world champion Kassim Ouma, a kidnapped child soldier and his struggles to$ break free and regain his life as a professional athlete; “The Zen of Bobby V,” the baseball film which follows former MLB manager Bobby Valentine through Japanese baseball; “Truth in 24,” which follows all the drama of the 24 hours of LeMans, and  “Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot,” Beastie Boy Adam Yauch’s chronicle of eight of the country’s top high school hoopsters, including NBA rookies Michael Beasley and Kevin Love, as they negotiate the courts of legendary Rucker Park in New York.

Also on tap for the festival will be a series of classic films by producer Mark Ciardi, including “Invincible” and “The Rookie.” The baseball film “The Natural,” starring Robert Redford, rounds out the classic films series of the festival.

Movie: Time  Date  Location

First Basket: 6-9 pm   Thu  Prince Black Box
Running The Sahara: 6:30-9:30 pm    Thu    Prince Main Stage
Peglegs of St. Stuyvesant High: 9-11:30 pm    Thu    Prince Black Box
Truth in 24: 9:30-11:30 pm    Thu    Prince Main Stage

Zen of Bobby V: 12:30-2:30 pm    Fri    Prince Main Stage
Kicking It: 1-3:30 pm    Fri    Broad St. Ministries
Streetballers: 3-5:30 pm    Fri    Prince Main Stage
The Rookie: 3:30-6 pm    Fri    Prince Black Box
SMAD Initiative:    3:45-5:15 pm    Fri    Broad St. Ministries
We Are Young: 6-9 pm    Fri    Prince Main Stage
The Streak:    6:30-9 pm    Fri    Prince Black Box
Basketball in the Barrio: 9:30-11:30 pm    Fri    Prince Black Box
Sugar: 9:30-11:30 pm    Fri    Prince Main Stage

16 Days to Glory (Bud Greenspan): 12-3 pm    Sat    Prince Black Box
Gunnin’ for that # 1 Spot:    12:30-3:30 pm    Sat    Prince Main Stage
Pittsburgh Passion: 12:30-3:30 pm    Sat    Broad St. Ministries
Invincible, Bonus: Rudy! Making of a Hero: 3-6 pm    Sat    Prince Black Box
Pete Sampras: 3:30-6 pm    Sat    Prince Main Stage
The Natural: 3:30-6 pm    Sat    Broad St. Ministries
Run For Your Life: 6-9 pm    Sat    Prince Black Box
Renzo Gracie: 6:30-9:30 pm    Sat    Prince Main Stage
True Blue: 7-9:30 pm    Sat    Boathouse
Kassim The Dream: 9-11:30 pm    Sat    Prince Black Box
Harvard Beats Yale 29-29: 9-11:30 pm    Sat    Prince Main Stage
Pittsburgh Passion: 6:30-9:30 pm    Sat    Broad St. Ministries

The Hammer: 12 -3 pm    Sun    Prince Black Box
Miracle: 12 -3 pm    Sun    Prince Main Stage