Jock Docs Presents: Hooligans & Ultras

Tuesday, April 1st, 7:30pm

Jock Docs Presents: Hooligans & Ultras

(A look at the passion of the soccer fan in a nod to the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “Hooligans & Ultras” is an ongoing spring series.)

Curated by Hatuey Rodriguez and Vincent Puljiz

Football's Fight Club     

Gareth Williams, 2002, 49 min, England

As unlikely as it may seem now, there was a time in which football in Britain was not only unpopular, but was in real danger of going out of existence completely, due to one main factor: hooliganism. Every matchday, thousands of thugs fought on terraces throughout the country in an ugly battle which threatened the safety of innocent supporters, and led to a number of deaths. Football's Fight Club tells the story of how football violence spread to become an unwanted part of our national game. Football violence started to grow in the early 1970s, after the introduction of the 'football special', a scheme which enabled thousands of volatile fans and hooligans to travel cheaply by train around the country on matchdays. This combination of football, fighting and alcohol provided an exhilarating day out for fans, and the violence repeated itself around the country, week after week. Quickly, hooliganism attained a culture of its own, and despite the destruction that they caused, the thugs were content with enjoying themselves in this way. The seriousness of their actions, though, only started to become apparent when the first murder at a football match took place in 1974.

FC United: A Punk Football Fairy Tale

Daniel Colbourne, 2013, 35 min, England

A film about the past, present and future of FC United of Manchester. Formed in 2005, the club were promoted three times in their first three seasons. They now play their football in the Evo-Stik Premier Division. They are a club run by the fans, for the fans.

Skype Q&A with director Daniel Colbourne

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iwgdcBdMrM

BPT: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/613464

FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/837256552957130/

Jock Docs Presents: Lenny Cooke

Sunday, February 2nd, 4:00pm

Back By Popular Demand!

Jock Docs Presents: Lenny Cooke

(The best in sports documentaries.)

Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie, 2013, 90 min.

In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. In an era when high school stars were forgoing college hoops in favor of the potential multi-million dollar contracts promised in the NBA draft, Lenny was supposed to be the next superstar. He had the world at his fingertips. But over a decade later, while his peers are taking home MVP awards and championship trophies, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA. What went wrong?

With incredible access to Lenny’s story as it unfolded over the past decade, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie follow Lenny from his run-down home in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to the New Jersey suburbs where he spent his high school career through to the present day, with the friends and family who shared in his dreams and aspirations. Lenny Cooke is a quintessentially American story about dreaming big, the fickle nature of sports celebrity and the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach.

Q&As to follow Saturday’s and Sunday’s screening TBA.  

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne61w4R20QE

BPT: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/569422

FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/378942685582394

Jock Docs Presents: Lenny Cooke

Saturday, January 25th, 7:30pm

Sunday, January 26th, 7:30pm

Jock Docs Presents: Lenny Cooke

(The best in sports documentaries.)

Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie, 2013, 90 min.

In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. In an era when high school stars were forgoing college hoops in favor of the potential multi-million dollar contracts promised in the NBA draft, Lenny was supposed to be the next superstar. He had the world at his fingertips. But over a decade later, while his peers are taking home MVP awards and championship trophies, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA. What went wrong?

With incredible access to Lenny’s story as it unfolded over the past decade, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie follow Lenny from his run-down home in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to the New Jersey suburbs where he spent his high school career through to the present day, with the friends and family who shared in his dreams and aspirations. Lenny Cooke is a quintessentially American story about dreaming big, the fickle nature of sports celebrity and the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach.
Saturday’s screening will be followed by a Q&A with directors Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie and producer Adam Shopkorn.
Sunday’s screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Benny Safdie and producer Adam Shopkorn.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne61w4R20QE

BPT: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/554917

FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/1388030288120687/