Born To Play shines a light on a team of remarkable women, ranging in age from 19-49, from a vast spectrum of backgrounds who dedicate their time, bodies and paychecks to pursue their passion for playing football. The film premiered on ESPN and ABC in the summer of 2020 and garnered wonderful press including write-ups in People, Variety, Entertainment Weekly and Shondaland. It's currently certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and even got a shoutout from the Renegades fellow local football team, the New England Patriots.
“To step into this world and watch these women unapologetically create their own destiny in a sport that has yet to acknowledge them is crucial,” says Director/Producer Viridiana Lieberman. “It is my hope that this story will not only help shine a light on this team and this sport, but also add to a larger conversation of unity, agency and the power of perseverance in creating the world we want to live in.”
The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport is proud to present Born To Play as the centerpiece film of the 2021 Tucker Center Film Festival.
The Tucker Center is an interdisciplinary research center leading a global effort to accelerate change for girls and women in sport and physical activity and their families and communities. http://www.tuckercenter.org
It is well documented that women's sport and female athletes are underrepresented in the sport media and in mainstream feature films. The Tucker Center Film Festival (TCFF), the first of its kind to highlight women in sport films, was established in 2011 and is presented in conjunction with the annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The purpose of the event is to celebrate and create awareness for films and documentaries related to girls and women in sport.
February 3, 2021, marks the 35th Annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). This celebration inspires girls and women to play and be active, to realize their full power. The confidence, strength and character gained through sports participation are the very tools girls and women need to become strong leaders in sports and life. FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/get-involved/ngwsd/about-ngwsd/
The Boston Renegades are the premier women’s tackle football team in New England and the defending Division 1 Champions of the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA). Bringing together players from many former area teams, including the Boston Militia, New England Intensity, Bay State Warriors, Boston Rampage, and Massachusetts Mutiny, the Renegades are continuing the rich history of women’s football in Boston, which includes five national titles. The Renegades incorporated in 2015 under the leadership of former players, Molly Goodwin, Mia Brickhouse, and Erin Baumgartner.
The team is comprised of some of the best athletes in New England and the world. Off the field, their players are educators, entrepreneurs, athletic trainers, public safety officers, business owners, and more.
The Boston Renegades play at Harry della Russo Stadium in Revere, Massachusetts and are currently owned by former player Molly Goodwin, and operated in partnership with local business professional and dedicated fan Michelle McDonough. The management team is boosted by the expertise of physical therapy professionals, former NFL players and coaches, skilled athletic trainers, and a small army of dedicated volunteers. https://www.bostonrenegadesfootball.org/
Director and Editor, Viridiana Lieberman is a filmmaker and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She edited the Emmy winning features I Am Evidence and The Sentence, which won the 2018 Sundance Documentary Audience Award. In addition, Lieberman wrote the quintessential book on women's sports in cinema, "Sports Heroins on Film: A Critical Study of Women Athletes, Coaches and Owner" (McFarland Publishing, 2015). What began as research and investigation became a passion and commitment to create what was missing from cinema: an authentic, visually stunning portrait of female athletes pursuing professional greatness in sport.
Born to Play is produced by Theodora Dunlap, Sam Bisbee and Viridiana Lieberman and executive produced by Lance Acord, Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Rudy Valdez, Jon Bulette with consulting producer Cheryl Furjanic.
Film Website: https://www.borntoplaymovie.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borntoplaymovie/
Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/borntoplaymovie/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BornToPlayMovie/