WORK
1969 IN NEW YORK: THREE TITLES, ONE YEAR, ONE CITY…WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
62,000:1 is a story of New York in 1969 – a city divided and unraveled by war, riots, and strikes held together by an improbable championship sports year. The film delves into the universal and timeless theme of fandom, never giving up, and the power of a city rallying behind its teams to overcome great odds and achieve the unthinkable. 62,000:1 features players from each championship team including Joe Namath(NY Jets), Bill Bradley(NY Knicks), Walt “Clyde” Frazier(Ny Knicks), Cleon Jones(NY Mets), and Jerry Koosman(NY Mets) to name a few. The film is nostalgic for both players and viewers in the recounting of events that led to one of the most historical championship years in New York.
game1 chairman, Basil Iwanyk, wrote and produced 62,000:1 in partnership with SNY which premiered in 2019 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of New York’s historical championship year. A Hollywood veteran, Iwanyk has produced legendary films such as Sicario, We Are Marshall, The Town, and the entire John Wick franchise to name a few. 62,000:1 director, Pete Sillen, is a masterful storyteller of historical events and responsible for films such as Bayard & Me and I Am Secretly An Important Man. The combined talent of Iwanyk and Sillen came forth 62,000:1 – a meticulous story that won the 2020 New York Emmy Award for Best Sports Documentary.
HALLE BERRY STARS AND DIRECTS IN NEW FEATURE FILM BRUISED
Bruised serves as Halle Berry’s directorial debut; a classic redemption story about the trials and tribulations of a passionate MMA fighter. Halle Berry stars as Jackie Justice who walked away from the sport after losing one of the biggest fights of her career. After a disgraceful exit from the MMA world, Jackie wastes her talent and finds comfort in taking on odd jobs until her boyfriend tricks her into attending an underground fight. Her passion for the sport is reignited and her journey begins. As she begins her road to redemption, she’s faced with her past demons and she begins fighting for a second chance at life – in the ring, and as a mother to the son she abandoned who unexpectedly re-enters her life.
Berry has long been interested in filmmaking, especially as a Black woman in the industry, whose chances of directing are limited. The script struck a chord with Berry and she felt compelled to reimagine the script for a black woman instead of the traditional white-led story. During a Variety interview, Berry explained, “It’s an old genre; there’s so many great fight films that have been made. I made the point why it would be worth retelling an age-old story with this new twist.” The film was featured in the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2020 and gained significant attention from major distributors. Bruised quickly gained the attention of Netflix and has since been bought for a whopping twenty million dollars. The official trailer has been released and will feature in select theaters on November 17, 2021.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS FILM FEATURES J.K. SIMMONS, STEPHAN JAMES, UZO ADUBA AND TALENTED OTHERS
National Champions is a film about the tenuous ecosystem that makes up collegiate athletics. It raises essential questions about what is the fair and equitable balance between the rights of student-athletes who essentially fuel the industry and the college athletics institutions that have existed for over 100 years who have cemented and operate the existing system. In this gripping drama, star quarterback LeMarcus James – played by Stephan James – ignites a players’ strike hours before the college football National Championship Game in order to raise awareness of his perceived unfairness of the NCAA system, signaling a fight ahead for equitable compensation, equal rights, and respect for student-athletes.
The story of National Champions revolves around the timely and delicate issue of institutional control versus individual freedoms, in this case doing so against the backdrop of college athletics. The protagonist of the film, LeMarcus, attempts to bring attention to what he perceives is an abuse of power by the institutions that control the system, thus leaving student-athletes with very little to show for their efforts. To do so, he organizes a player walk-out on the eve of the biggest event of the year – against the wishes of his coach and mentor, James Lazor – played by Academy Award winning, JK Simmons. This impromptu protest evokes a much broader conversation and shines light on the exploitation of student-athlete’s service to the institutions that are in control of the system. In short, National Champions serves as a triumphant story to stand up for what’s right – potentially sacrificing everything in the process.
This extraordinary film was directed by Ric Roman Waugh and penned by Adam Mervis. Waugh has directed some of the most intense and gripping films in recent times, including: Snitch, Shot Caller, Angel Has Fallen, and Greenland, among many others. To his credit, Mervis has written a series of intriguing films, including: The Last Days of Capitalism, The Philly Kid, Choices, Shakespeare Theorem, and 21 Bridges. Through the combined storytelling of Waugh and Mervis, National Champions is easily one of the best and most compelling sports films of 2021.
AMERICAN UNDERDOG
American Underdog is based on the two-time MVP and hall of fame quarterback, Kurt Warner, played by Zachary Levi. This incredibly true story follows Kurt Warner’s path from a grocery store worker to inevitably one of the best QB’s to play in the NFL. For those unfamiliar, Kurt Warner entered the NFL in 1998 and remains as the only undrafted player to receive two MVP awards – an NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP – two of the most prestigious awards to receive in the NFL. This film reveals how passion mixed with a tenacious attitude got Kurt Warner to become a legacy and inspiration to many athletes and individuals around the world. American Underdog is a heartwarming and inspiring story from start to finish.
Mark Ciardi – game1’s President and Chief Content Officer – produced this film in accompaniment with Jon Erwin, Andrew Erin, Kevin Downes, and Daryl C. Lefever. Ciardi has produced some of the best sports films that have become American classics such as Chappaquiddick, Million Dollar Arm, Secretariat, Invincible, The Game Plan, and countless others. Prior to joining game1, Mark Ciardi worked on American Underdog with City of a Hill Productions, Kingdom Story Company, and Lionsgate – as both production company and distributor. Through his expertise and experience, Ciardi will continue to produce some of the best sports-oriented content at game1.
