The world premiere of the 30 For 30 documentary When The Garden Was Eden marking actor Michael Rapaport’s feature directorial debut will kick off the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival on April 17.

The line-up includes Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield taking part in an on-stage conversation as part of the Tribeca Talks series, as well as the world premiere of the documentary Maradona ‘86.

Each of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival films will screen throughout the festival and every one will screen again on April 26.

The Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival sponsored by Mohegan Sun will present a series of free, sports-related games and activities on Sports Day under the umbrella of the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair on April 26. 

The Tribeca Film Festival will run from April 16-27.

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Synopses adapted from those provided by the festival.

GALA

When The Garden Was Eden (US), dir Michael Rapaport.
Actor Michael Rapaport delivers his love letter to the Knicks in a fast-paced tribute to the team’s glory days. Featuring interviews with Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Earl Monroe, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, Phil Jackson and others connected to the team’s championship years.
World premiere.

The following Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival titles have been announced in their respective sections as part of the broader 2014 TFF film programmes:

Intramural (US, Midnight), dir Andrew Disney
A send-up of inspirational movies centred on the world of intramural sports.
World premiere, narrative 

Maravilla, dir Juan Pablo Cadaveira (Argentina, Viewpoints)
Argentinian boxer Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinez sets out to reclaim the title of Middleweight champion that was unfairly snatched from him in 2011 by Julio Chavez, Jr In English and Spanish with subtitles.
International premiere, documentary.

Slaying The Badger (UK, Spotlight, pictured), dir John Dower
Greg LeMond was the first and remains the only American to win cycling’s highest honour, the Tour de France. LeMond looks back at the pivotal 1986 Tour and his rivalry with Bernard Hinault, aka The Badger. An ESPN Films Production.
World premiere, documentary

TRIBECA TALKS: AFTER THE MOVIE AND CONVERSATIONS

TRIBECA TALKS: AFTER THE MOVIE

Champs (US), dir Bert Marcus.
Marcus’ documentary charts the lives of some of America’s heaviest hitters – including Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Bernard Hopkins – as they seek to break out of poverty via one of the few outlets available.
World premiere

After the film, Tyson, Holyfield and boxing promoter Lou DiBella will take part in an on-stage conversation about life, rivalry and conflict inside and outside the ring.

SPECIAL CONVERSATION

Shooting and Scoring
Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg talks about the art of creating authentic sports stories – from non-fiction material to fictional works.

TRIBECA DRIVE-IN

The world premiere of Mike Brett and Ateve Jamison’s Next Goal Wins (UK), about the hapless American Samoan national football team, will screen as part of the Tribeca Drive-In series on April 19. The full Tribeca Drive-In schedule will be announced in the coming days.

SPECIAL SCREENING

The Battered Bastards Of Baseball (US), dir Chapman Way, Maclain Way
Bing Russell is best known for his role as Deputy Clem on Bonanza, but he left Hollywood in 1973 to pursue his first love: baseball. He created the independent Portland Mavericks, who came from nowhere to surprise followers of the sport.

30 FOR 30: SOCCER STORIES

Followed by a conversation with filmmakers Ezra Edelman, Daniel Battsek and ESPN about the films and the upcoming World Cup

The Opposition (US-Chile), dir Ezra Edelman and Jeffrey Plunkett
In the wake of the 1973 military coup in Chile, US-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet transformed Santiago’s National Stadium into a concentration camp where political opponents were tortured and assassinated. Two months later, that same stadium was scheduled to host a decisive World Cup qualifier between Chile and the Soviet Union. Despite protests, a FIFA investigation and the Soviets’ eventual boycott, the Chilean team still played the game as planned, qualifying for the 1974 World Cup on a goal scored against no-one.
World premiere.

Maradona ‘86 (US, TBC), dir Sam Blair
Argentina’s Diego Maradona dominated the 1986 World Cup with a sequence of extraordinary plays including the infamous ‘hand of God’ incident in the game against England. John Battsek serves as executive producer.
World premiere.

Short Film

True Gladiators (US), dir Kevin Donovan
Follows the career of three former American Gladiators and how they deal with the demands of the show, the injuries and their personal lives.
World premiere.

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