The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will recognize the twin traditions of baseball and film when, for the fourth consecutive year, it hosts the Baseball Film Festival in Cooperstown, Oct. 2-4.
Thirteen films, with themes ranging from women in baseball to a baseball league in Israel, will be screened as filmmakers compete for three awards given at the conclusion of the festival: Best Film; the Award for Baseball Excellence; and the Award for Film Making Excellence.
This year’s lineup includes:
On Friday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m.:
The Lost Son of Havana
After 46 years in exile, former major league baseball star Luis Tiant returns to Cuba, where he encounters unexpected demons and receives unexpected gifts from his family.
Signs of the Time
Where did baseball hand signals come from? In exploring this seemingly simple question, the feature-length documentary unveils stories of inspiration and controversy that transcend sports. Narrated by Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss, the film unravels the mystery surrounding baseball’s greatest innovation.
At Session 2, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m.
Girls of Summer, A positive, respectful look at the WBL Sparks, the first all-girls baseball team to compete in a boy’s national tournament at the Cooperstown Dreams Park. Interspersed throughout the WBL Sparks’ story are historical segments telling the personal stories of the women who, since the mid 1850s, have played, coached, and umpired baseball.
Major Leagues? This story from Cuban filmmaker Ernesto Perez Zambrano tells the story of women taking the field and playing baseball in Cuba.
At Session 3, Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:30 p.m.:
We Believe, From the director of The U.S. vs. John Lennon comes this documentary celebrating the unusual love affair between a great city, Chicago, and its baseball team, the Cubs. Like any relationship, it has its highs and lows, joys and sorrows, moments of exhilaration and heartbreak. About hope, faith, optimism and loyalty, this film is about America, family and tradition. But first and foremost, We Believe is an entertaining movie, packed with emotion, humor, wonderful human moments, and unique insight.
The Farm Team, a first-hand look at the challenges of the grounds crew of a minor league baseball team in Mobile, Ala., the rainiest city in the United States. It’s a portrait of three hard working guys who not only love the sport of baseball but also the field the game is played on.
At Session 4, Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m.:
A Braves New World chronicles how the “Miracle in Milwaukee” began the shift westward of America’s Pastime. Includes seldom seen archival footage and photos, along with over twenty-five on-camera interviews including former Braves players, management, and sportswriters.
At Session 5, Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.:
She’s Baseball Mad!, a 12-minute short asks the question: Did women save major league baseball in Seattle? A look at the female connection with baseball and the role women played in building the most family-friendly ballpark in the nation.
Road to the Big Leagues. How does a tiny island roughly the size of Connecticut produce baseball superstars like Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, Hanley Ramirez, Sammy Sosa and David Ortiz? What about for the thousands that try but never make it big? Road to the Big Leagues tells the story of one of baseball’s most heralded breeding grounds, the Dominican Republic, and provides a close examination of their special brand of baseball.
A Shortstop in China. Shortly after being enshrined in Cooperstown, Cal Ripken Jr. was named Public Diplomacy Envoy by the U.S. State Department. True to form, America’s Iron Man embraced the challenge of his new career as diplomat. His first mission: travel to China and share the game of baseball, “the Ripken way.”
Session 6, Sunday, Oct 4, 9 a.m.:
El Play tells the story of Jairo Candelario, a young aspiring baseball player from San Pedro de Macoris, a small city in the Dominican Republic famous for birthing some of the world’s most talented baseball players. The film paint’s a detailed portrait of Jairo and his tireless commitment to the game as he balances his hopes of signing a professional contract with the reality of its improbability. Interviewed are professional scouts, coaches, family members, a baseball historian and San Pedro-born Robinson Cano, the second baseman of the New York Yankees.
Holy Land Hardball. When Boston bagel maker Larry Baras wanted to create a professional baseball league in Israel, his idea was met with incredulity, dismissal, and even hostility. He attempted it anyway. Among the ballplayers swept up in his unlikely quest: a 41-year-old father of three with a Peter Pan complex; a 27-year-old Brooklyn artist/DJ still finding himself after the disappointment of not being drafted out of college; a 34-year-old father-to-be whose own father, now deceased, fought for Israel’s independence in 1948; and a 22-year-old African-American who was told by a preacher at a young age he would one day “play in front of God’s people.” Also along for the ride are former Jewish major leaguers Art Shamsky, Ken Holtzman, and Ron Blomberg — as team managers in the Israel Baseball League.
Session 7, Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m.:
Ghost Players is a documentary that chronicles the adventures and misadventures of a boisterous and unlikely team of middle aged Iowa baseball players. In 1989, Hollywood went to Iowa to shoot Field of Dreams. Little did anyone know this blockbuster would spawn a comedic baseball show starring local ballplayers that would have an 18 year run and travel the world.
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Tickets for the Film Festival are free of charge but limited and must be reserved. Members can reserve their tickets immediately, and any remaining seats will made available to the general public beginning Monday, Sept. 28, by calling the Membership department at 607-547-0397 or visiting the Membership desk in the Museum. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. in the Grandstand Theater and is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
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