Announcing the 2016 Recipients of the TFI ESPN Future Filmmaker Prize!

2016-10-18

We are thrilled to announce the three 2016 TFI/ ESPN Future Filmmaker Prize grantee films. The TFI/ESPN Future Filmmaker Prize aims to support the next generation of filmmakers in producing creative, story-driven films that highlight issues of social importance through the lens of sports, athletics, and/or competition with an $18,000 production grant as well as mentoring, workshops, and industry meetings. This year’s student filmmaker grantees introduce us to national champions of dwarf basketball, a youth sabre-fencing program in NYC, and soldiers turning to the rodeo arena.

Here is some information on these important projects and the talented teams behind them:

On the Bit, Directed by Ashley Brandon (Northwestern University Graduate School of Communication). When the mental and physical wounds of combat seem irreparable, soldiers on the verge of abandoning hope look to one last place for healing: the rodeo arena.

Stay Close, Co-Directed by Luther Clement and Shuhan Fan (Northwestern University Graduate School of Communication).“Stay Close” tells the triumphant stories of three generations of the Peter Westbrook Foundation’s sabre fencing program, where African American youth in NYC are trained to overcome their struggles and achieve Olympic heights.

The Towers, Directed and Produced by Maria Chiu (Columbia Journalism School) and Oliver Arnoldi (Columbia Graduate School of Journalism). “The Towers” profiles the five-time national champions of dwarf basketball, the New York Towers - who raised the bar for dwarfs playing basketball around the country. This year, the Towers compete for the gold medal at the World Dwarf Games. Through this team, they show that you don’t have to be tall to play ball.