ESPN Films
Following on from the success of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, this collection of sports documentaries continues to tell compelling stories from the unique perspective of the filmmakers.
- 2011-2021
- 1 season
- Documentary
Following on from the success of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, this collection of sports documentaries continues to tell compelling stories from the unique perspective of the filmmakers.
Season 1 Episode Guide
14 Episodes 2011 - 2015
Episode 1
The Fab Five
Sun, Mar 13, 2011 95 mins
Arriving on the campus of the University of Michigan in the fall of 1991, the five freshmen--Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson--not only electrified the game, but also brought new style to the masses with their baggy shorts, black socks and brash talk.
Episode 2
Catching Hell
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 108 mins
The relationship between Chicago Cubs fans and Steve Bartman following Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series.
Episode 3
Renee
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 79 mins
The film tells the story of Renee Richard's battle to enter the 1977 U.S. Open as the first transgender tennis player. Simultaneously, it follows her today as she struggles to cope with a life of contradictions and personal conflict.
Episode 4
The Dotted Line
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 56 mins
Sports agents Peter Greenberg and Eugene Lee are profiled with their clients Johan Santana, Jacquian Williams and Robert Hughes.
Episode 5
Charismatic
Tue, Oct 18, 2011 52 mins
In June of 1999 an unlikely colt named Charismatic, with down and out jockey Chris Antley aboard, headed down the stretch at the Belmont Stakes, just seconds away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner in nearly 21 years.
Episode 6
The Real Rocky
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 57 mins
A profile of Chuck Wepner, the original inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa character, and how the glory of Rocky eluded Wepner as he took several strange turns in an effort to stay in the spotlight.
Episode 7
Unguarded
Tue, Nov 1, 2011 80 mins
The story of Chris Herren, a high school basketball star and NBA player; his career-long struggles with drug abuse; and his ultimate discovery of redemption and personal fulfillment through the game.
Episode 8
Roll Tide/War Eagle
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 50 mins
The continuing rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama, focusing on the history between the two programs, the bad blood between their fans, and how this intense rivalry came to a pinnacle, just when they ended up needing each other most.
Episode 9
The Marinovich Project
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 90 mins
From birth, Todd Marinovich was raised with a defined purpose of creating the perfect athlete. Trained by his father, Marv, a former pro football player and a strength and conditioning guru, the young Marinovich was meticulously engineered and nurtured into a star quarterback. When it came to performance, Marv expected perfection and Todd delivered. He was dubbed "Robo QB," and his performance initially lived up to the name as he set passing records in high school, vied for the Heisman while at USC and ultimately was selected in the first round of the 1991 NFL draft by his hometown Los Angeles Raiders. But two years later, he was out of the NFL, a full-blown drug addict in search of a life beyond football. "The Marinovich Project" tells the unvarnished story of Todd's unique ascent to stardom, the dark descent that followed and the complicated father-son bond throughout, ultimately answering the question "What went wrong with Todd Marinovich?"
Episode 10
Goose
Sun, Feb 26, 2012
The life of Reece "Goose" Tatum who played in Negro League baseball and was an original member of the legendary Harlem Globetrotters.
Episode 11
Magic Johnson: The Announcement
Sun, Mar 11, 2012 82 mins
On Thursday, Nov. 7, 1991, Earvin "Magic" Johnson made people stop and watch at the Forum in Inglewood, California. The 32-year-old ground-breaking point guard was holding a press conference to make the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive.
Episode 12
26 Years: The Dewey Bozella Story
Thu, Mar 15, 2012
Life of Dewey Bozella and his 26 years behind bars, where he found strength and purpose through boxing (becoming the light heavyweight champion of Sing Sing prison), and his goal to be proven innocent and box professionally once he was released.
Episode 13
Right to Play
Sat, Jun 2, 2012
He has won four Olympic gold medals, graced the cover of Time magazine and been honored as Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. Yet if you say the name Johann Olav Koss in this country, you'll usually be met with a casual shrug. Instead of cashing in on his Olympic haul, Koss embarked on a remarkable journey that has established him as one of the world's greatest ambassadors of sports. As the founder, President and CEO of Right To Play, Koss and his army of volunteers, teachers, coaches and diplomats have used the power of athletics to elevate the lives of the world's neediest children. As it turns out, Frank Marshall, one of Hollywood's most acclaimed producers and a member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, witnessed Koss's triumphs on the ice in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Games. Now Marshall will reveal the epiphany that led Koss to start Right To Play, and attempt to uncover the motivation that drives him to crisscross the globe, establishing new programs and literally saving lives in the process. Some day, Johann may win a Nobel Peace Prize. But for now, this film will serve as an introduction to an uncommon and selfless man who embodies the power and glory of sport.
Episode 14
The Little Master
Thu, Feb 12, 2015
The life and impact of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, set against the backdrop of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Tendulkar's final attempt to lead his country to one-day cricket's ultimate prize.
