ESPN Films’ Latest 30 for 30 Short “Deerfoot of the Diamond” to Premiere September 27





ESPN Films’ Latest 30 for 30 Short “Deerfoot of the Diamond” to Premiere September 27 at 8:00 p.m. ET
The documentary, directed by Lance Edmands, chronicles the saga of that name change, which has its roots in a forgotten legend named Louis Sockalexis, and the tragedy that enveloped his story more than a century ago.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films’ Latest 30 for 30 Short “Deerfoot of the Diamond” to Premiere September 27 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Film Tells the Story of Native American Baseball Player Louis Sockalexis and His Impact on the Sport

ESPN Films latest 30 for 30 documentary short “Deerfoot of the Diamond” debuts September 27 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. In late 2021, Cleveland’s baseball team was reborn as the Guardians. The documentary, directed by Lance Edmands, chronicles the saga of that name change, which has its roots in a forgotten legend named Louis Sockalexis, and the tragedy that enveloped his story more than a century ago. The film will be made available on ESPN+ immediately after its premiere, along with the rest of the 30 for 30 library.

After the 2021 season, a new name came to Major League Baseball. To the delight of many, and the consternation of others, Cleveland’s ballclub was now known as the Guardians. The story of the team’s long journey to its new nickname is a tale that encompasses heroism, tragedy, racism, and the complexities of history over more than a century of time. “Deerfoot of the Diamond” juxtaposes a poignant telling of the tragic story of Sockalexis with a revealing history of the controversy over the Indians name, which stretched for decades in Cleveland and beyond, leading up to the ultimate renaming of the franchise before the 2022 season.

“To me, the little-known story of Louis Sockalexis is as fascinating as it is timely,” said Edmands. “Although his phenomenal rookie season was over 100 years ago, he made an outsized impact on baseball and American culture at large. In 2021, the Cleveland team played its final season as the Indians, a name inspired by Sockalexis. But with the change to the Guardians, would he become just a quirky historical footnote, or worse yet, entirely forgotten? Our goal with the film was to preserve his legacy and connect him to the present by telling his tragic story from a new perspective.”

The documentary, which premieres at the Camden International Film Festival September 18, utilizes artful recreation and transcripts of interviews with Sockalexis to tell the story of his legacy. Advance press screeners, additional information, including film clips and director statements and bios, are available upon request. Follow 30 for 30 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy-Award winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX, SEC Storied and Emmy award-winning docu-series “The Last Dance.” ESPN+ is the exclusive home for the entire 30 for 30 library.

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ESPN Films Announces 30 for 30 Documentary “American Son”





ESPN Films Announces 30 for 30 Documentary “American Son” on Tennis Player Michael Chang
“American Son” will tell the story of Chang’s improbable rise as a young American tennis star, and his family’s immigrant journey which shaped his destiny.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films Announces 30 for 30 Documentary “American Son” on Tennis Player Michael Chang

Film is directed by Jay Caspian Kang, executive produced by ESPN Films in Association with Words + Pictures

ESPN Films today announced that production has completed on a 30 for 30 documentary about former tennis player Michael Chang, with New Yorker and The New York Times writer and Emmy nominated correspondent, Jay Caspian Kang, on board for his directorial debut. “American Son” will tell the story of Chang’s improbable rise as a young American tennis star, and his family’s immigrant journey which shaped his destiny. The story is centered around his winning the 1989 French Open at age 17, including his unforgettable upset of top ranked Ivan Lendl – a match that unfolded in the shadow of the Tiananmen Square massacre in China.

The documentary will be executive produced by ESPN Films in association with Words + Pictures, founded in 2021 by Connor Schell.. Phil de Picciotto, Peter Nelson, Tom Ross, and Kelly Wolf are also serving as Executive Producers. Among the interview subjects featured in the story are Chang, Lendl, Roger Federer, Jeremy Lin, and Brad Gilbert.

Further details will be announced at a later date.

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ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on Hall of Famer Bill Walton





ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on Hall of Famer Bill Walton
Among the interview subjects featured in the story are Larry Bird, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Artis Gilmore, World B. Free, Robert Parish, Jim Gray, Luke Walton, Jamal Wilkes, Brent Musberger, Bob Ryan, and a number of close friends and teammates from Bill’s high school days to today.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on Hall of Famer Bill Walton

Film to be directed by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”)

ESPN Films today announced that production has started on a 30 for 30 documentary about iconic basketball Hall of Famer, Bill Walton. Walton, when healthy, was arguably one of the greatest centers to play the game. The ultimate competitor, Walton embraced team play over individual glory. The documentary will tell Walton’s story, from his earliest days as a high school phenom in San Diego, to his glory days at UCLA, and through his injury plagued, but stellar career with the Portland Trailblazers and the story of their 1977 NBA championship team. It will also delve deeply into Bill’s tortured history of debilitating injuries, his personal relationship with John Wooden, his love of the Grateful Dead, his politics and activism that alienated basketball fans in the ’70’s, and his final incarnation as a basketball broadcaster who regularly draws a Twitter storm.

Among the interview subjects featured in the story are Larry Bird, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Artis Gilmore, World B. Free, Robert Parish, Jim Gray, Luke Walton, Jamal Wilkes, Brent Musberger, Bob Ryan, and a number of close friends and teammates from Bill’s high school days to today.

The documentary will be directed by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”), produced by Steve James & Zak Piper, and executive produced by ESPN Films.

Further details will be announced at a later date.

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ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on the 2000 Baltimore Ravens





ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on the 2000 Baltimore Ravens
No team in NFL history has boasted, bullied or brandished as much bravado as the 2000-2001 Baltimore Ravens.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films Announces 30 for 30 Documentary on the 2000 Baltimore Ravens

Film to be co-directed by NFL Films’ Ken Rodgers and Jason Weber

ESPN Films today announced that production has started on a 30 for 30 documentary that will take viewers inside of the world of one of the most notorious football teams to ever play the game. No team in NFL history has boasted, bullied or brandished as much bravado as the 2000-2001 Baltimore Ravens. The rest of the NFL hated the Ravens but no one could say a thing, because they couldn’t beat them on the field, especially facing, arguably, the greatest defense ever. Luckily for sports fans, their full-throated reign coincided perfectly with the rise of the “reality television” era via Hard Knocks.

The documentary will be co-directed by Ken Rodgers (“The Tuck Rule,” “The Two Bills,” “Al Davis vs. The NFL”) and Jason Weber (“NFL 100,” “The Way Up: Chris Long & The Waterboys”), produced by Erik Powers (“Deion’s Double Play”), and executive produced by ESPN Films in association with NFL Films.

Further details will be announced at a later date.

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ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on “The Black Widow” Pool Legend Jeanette Lee





ESPN Films Announces “30 for 30” Documentary on “The Black Widow” Pool Legend Jeanette Lee
Lee is better known as the Black Widow, a persona more intriguing and deadly than the moniker itself.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films Announces 30 for 30 Documentary on “The Black Widow” Pool Legend Jeanette Lee

Film is directed by Ursula Liang, executive produced by ESPN Films in Association with Words + Pictures

ESPN Films today announced that production has started on a 30 for 30 documentary on professional pool player Jeanette Lee, with Ursula Liang (“9-Man,” “Down a Dark Stairwell”) on board to direct and Cora Atkinson (“Summer of Soul”) producing. Lee is better known as the Black Widow, a persona more intriguing and deadly than the moniker itself. She is an Asian-American icon and top billiards player who brought strength, sex appeal and skill to pool halls around the world. After dominating the 90s and early 2000s and her recent cancer diagnosis, Jeanette Lee looks back on her storied career and opens up about her life and legacy like never before.

The documentary will be executive produced by ESPN Films in association with Words + Pictures, founded in early 2021 by Connor Schell.

From Words + Pictures, Schell and Libby Geist are executive producing. This is the second collaboration between ESPN Films and Words + Pictures as part of an ongoing deal between the two companies. Phil de Picciotto, Jason Weichelt and Tom George are also serving as executive producers.

Further details will be announced at a later date.

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ESPN Films Latest 30 for 30 Documentary “The Tuck Rule” to Premiere February 6





ESPN Films Latest 30 for 30 Documentary “The Tuck Rule” to Premiere February 6
Directed by Ken Rodgers and Nick Mascolo, the documentary examines one of the most controversial plays in sports history, twenty years after it took place.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films Latest 30 for 30 Documentary “The Tuck Rule” to Premiere February 6

Film Features Tom Brady & Charles Woodson Revisiting Controversial Play That Changed the NFL

Trailer for the film now available; Film will be available on ESPN+ immediately after its debut

ESPN will debut the next installment in the Peabody and Emmy award-winning 30 for 30 series, “The Tuck Rule,” on February 6. Directed by Ken Rodgers (“The Two Bills,” “Al Davis vs. The NFL”) and Nick Mascolo, the documentary examines one of the most controversial plays in sports history, twenty years after it took place. Trailer:

Without the Tuck Rule, Tom Brady wouldn’t have won his first playoff game – and who knows where his destiny might have gone from there. But whether what happened on January 19, 2002 was the right call or a terrible call, divine providence or deep conspiracy, one thing is certain: The life of Tom Brady, as well as the life of the Hall of Famer who hit him on the play, Brady’s college teammate Charles Woodson, was forever changed that night.

In the documentary, Brady and Woodson sit down together and look back, for the first time ever, on their fateful collision that snowy night in Foxboro. “The Tuck Rule” will premiere February 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The film will be made available on ESPN+ immediately after its premiere, along with the rest of the 30 for 30 library.

Said co-director Ken Rodgers: “The Tuck Rule is certainly one of the most controversial calls in the history of sports, but it may also be one of its most consequential. It proves that one moment, this moment, any moment, can change our lives – just as it did for Brady and Woodson twenty years ago today. It was awe-inspiring to hear these two friends talk with each other about that moment for the first time in their lives. Their emotions about that night are still fresh.”

Along with an exclusive sit-down between Brady and Woodson, the film features interviews with referee Walt Coleman, Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, Tedy Bruschi, Troy Brown, Willie McGinest, Mark Davis, Tim Brown, Eric Allen and Lincoln Kennedy. The film is co-produced by ESPN, NFL Films, 199 Productions, and Build Your Legend Productions.

Advance press screeners, additional information, including film clips and director statements and bios, are available upon request. Follow 30 for 30 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy-Award winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX, SEC Storied and Emmy award-winning docu-series “The Last Dance.” ESPN+ is the exclusive home for the entire 30 for 30 library.

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30 for 30 Documentary “The Infinite Race” to Premiere December 15 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes





30 for 30 Documentary “The Infinite Race” to Premiere December 15 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes
The film has screened as part of many film festivals, including the DocLands Documentary Film Festival, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City and San Francisco DocFest.
[via press release from ESPN]
30 for 30 Documentary “The Infinite Race” to Premiere December 15 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes

Documentary Chronicles Indigenous Tarahumara Community Famed for Running Ability

ESPN will debut the next installment in the Peabody and Emmy award-winning 30 for 30 series, “The Infinite Race,” on December 15. Directed by Bernardo Ruiz (“Harvest Season,” “Reportero”), the documentary explores the story of the Tarahumara, an indigenous community in Mexico, famed for their legendary running ability, and their preference for running barefoot, who inspired an ultrarunning craze across the world, and what’s happened as their homes and communities were ravaged by drug cartels and violence. “The Infinite Race” will premiere on December 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Said director Bernardo Ruiz: “Many sports documentaries focus on celebrity athletes or high-profile rivalries. What intrigued me about ‘The Infinite Race’ was the challenge of telling a lesser known story that nonetheless speaks to some of the big debates of the moment.”

The film has screened as part of many film festivals, including the DocLands Documentary Film Festival, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City and San Francisco DocFest. 30 for 30 series recently nominated for an IDA Documentary Award for best curated series. “The Infinite Race” is the sixth film to be released as part of the 30 for 30 series this year, following a slate that included “Vick,” “LANCE” and “Be Water.”

Additional information, including film clips and director statements and bios, are available on the 30 for 30 website espn.com/30for30. Follow 30 for 30 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy-Award winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX, SEC Storied and record-breaking docu-series “The Last Dance.” The entire 30 for 30 library is available for streaming on ESPN+.



ESPN Films Planning Multi-Part “30 for 30” on ’86 Mets





ESPN Films Planning Multi-Part “30 for 30” on ’86 Mets
The multi-part documentary will feature hours of never-before-seen footage of the ’86 Mets team, a team of larger-than-life characters whose exploits on and off the field symbolized a unique moment in time for New York City and baseball history.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films Planning Multi-Part 30 for 30 on ’86 Mets

Production has begun in partnership with Kimmelot, ITV America, Major League Baseball and Nick Davis Productions; Project executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel, Sal “Cousin Sal” Iacono, Kimmelot’s Scott Lonker, ITV’s Jordana Hochman and MLB’s Nick Trotta with Nick Davis directing

ESPN Films today announced the group is in production on an upcoming project centered on the 1986 Mets, one of baseball’s most dominant and iconoclastic teams, whose legendary World Series comeback was merely the climax of an epic tale of ambition and swagger set in a city that was synonymous with excess.

Executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel, Sal “Cousin Sal” Iacono, Kimmelot’s Scott Lonker, ITV’s Jordana Hochman and MLB’s Nick Trotta, and directed by Nick Davis (“Ted Williams: ‘The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived'”), the multi-part documentary will feature hours of never-before-seen footage of the ’86 Mets team, a team of larger-than-life characters whose exploits on and off the field symbolized a unique moment in time for New York City and baseball history.

Additional details to be announced.

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy-Award winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX, SEC Storied and record-breaking docu-series “The Last Dance.” The entire 30 for 30 library is available for streaming on ESPN+.

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ESPN Films to Continue Sunday Night Run





ESPN Films to Continue Sunday Night Run – Moving Three High Profile “30 for 30s” to Sundays After “The Last Dance”
Lance Armstrong, Bruce Lee, and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are among the featured subjects.

[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN Films To Continue Sunday Night Run – Moving Three High Profile 30 for 30s to Sundays After “The Last Dance”
Documentary subjects include Lance Armstrong, Bruce Lee, and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa
Films available on ESPN+ immediately after their debuts

Just as ESPN Films moved “The Last Dance” earlier to fill the void that live sports left, ESPN Films’ Peabody and Academy Award-winning 30 for 30 series is premiering three new documentaries, two of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, that will air on Sundays in May and June. Following the airing of final episodes of the record-breaking documentary series “The Last Dance,” ESPN will air 30 for 30s “LANCE,” “Be Water,” and “Long Gone Summer,” which was an official selection to the Tribeca Film Festival. The films will be made available on ESPN+ immediately after their respective premieres, along with the rest of the 30 for 30 library.

Leading the slate on Sunday, May 24 will be part one of the two-part film, “LANCE,” which features unprecedented access to Armstrong through raw interviews and personal perspective on his full story, the inspiring rise and dramatic fall from grace. Lance is directed by Marina Zenovich (“Fantastic Lies,” “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind”). Part two will premiere the following Sunday, May 31. Bao Nguyen’s film “Be Water,” an intimate and very personal look at the life and purpose that motivated Bruce Lee, the martial artist trailblazer and pop culture icon, will debut on Sunday, June 7. Both films received acclaim at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Finally, on June 14, AJ Schnack’s, “Long Gone Summer”, an official selection of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, chronicles Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa’s storied 1998 home run chase following the 1994 MLB strike. For the first time, both men discuss that summer at length, including its lasting legacy and undeniable complications.

Libby Geist, Vice President & Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content said, “It’s a great feeling to bring three more epic documentary projects to sports fans who so need it right now. Moving up these films is no easy task, but it’s absolutely worth the effort to get them on the air for audiences to experience together. It’s a mix of fascinating topics, compelling characters and some of the absolute best storytelling our team has cranked out. The whole ESPN Films team is working hard to entertain fans while we wait for live sports to return and give them a distraction while we go through these hard times.”

30 for 30 Film Summaries and Dates:
“LANCE” directed by Marina Zenovich
Part 1: Sun., May 24, 9m ET on ESPN
Part 2: Sun., May 31, 9pm ET on ESPN
From acclaimed director Marina Zenovich, LANCE is a fascinating, revealing, comprehensive, chronicle of one of the most inspirational – and then infamous – athletes of all time. Based around extensive interviews and conversations with Lance Armstrong, the two-part, four-hour film tells the story of the cyclist’s rise out of Texas as a young superstar cyclist; his harrowing battle with testicular cancer; his recovery and emergence as a global icon with his seven consecutive Tour de France titles; and then his massive fall after he was exposed in one of the largest doping scandals in history.
Armstrong, along with a collection of family, teammates, friends, rivals, and journalists, all reflect on his story, creating a fascinating character study, capturing a unique chapter of sports history, and insisting the audience make its own interpretations about the many different sides of a complex saga.

“Be Water” directed by Bao Nguyen
Sun., June 7, 9pm ET on ESPN
In 1971, after being rejected by Hollywood, Bruce Lee returned to his parents’ homeland, Hong Kong. Over the next two years, he’d complete four iconic films that would define his legacy, a legacy cut short when he died, stunningly, in the summer of 1973. He was 32 years old.
“Be Water” is a gripping, fascinating, intimate look at not just those final, defining years of Lee’s life, but the complex, often difficult, and seismic journey that led to Lee’s ultimate emergence as a singular icon in the histories of film, martial arts, and even the connection between the eastern and western worlds.

The film chronicles Lee’s earliest days, as the son of a Chinese opera star born while his father was on tour in San Francisco, and then raised in Hong Kong over what became an at times troubled childhood. Sent to live in America at the age of 18, he began teaching Kung Fu in Seattle, and established a following that included his future wife, Linda. His ambition ever rising, Lee eventually made his way to Los Angeles, where he strove to break into American film and television. There, despite some success as a fight choreographer and actor, it was clear Hollywood wasn’t ready for an Asian leading man – and so he returned to Hong Kong to make the films that would in fact make him a legend, his international star skyrocketing just as his life was cut short.

“Be Water” is told entirely by the family, friends, and collaborators who knew Bruce Lee best, with an extraordinary trove of archive film providing an evocative, immersive visual tapestry that captures Lee’s charisma, his passion, his philosophy, and the eternal beauty and wonder of his art.
“Long Gone Summer” directed by AJ Schnack

Sun., June 14, 9pm ET on ESPN
It was one of the most memorable and significant seasons in the history of baseball. In the summer of 1998, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGwire and the Chicago Cubs’ Sammy Sosa embarked on a chase of one of the game’s most hallowed records, igniting the passion and imagination of fans and non-fans everywhere. The drama, excitement, and results would be remembered for generations. If we only knew then just how complex our feelings about it all would eventually become.
In ESPN’s new 30 for 30 film “Long Gone Summer,” director AJ Schnack takes viewers back to the landmark 1998 baseball season – its tremendous highlights, massive impact, and undeniable complications. Featuring in-depth interviews with both McGwire and Sosa, talking at length for the first time in over two decades, the intimate portrait carries viewers through every twist and turn of the sluggers’ historic chase of Roger Maris’s iconic record of 61 home runs in a single season. With a musical score composed by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, a St. Louis-area native and current Chicago resident, the film is a journey back through time that recalls how seismic and emotional the story was – even as the legitimacy of the accomplishments at its center would later be called into question.

About ESPN Films
ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy-Award winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and the SEC Storied series.