Screenings include “The U”, ESPN’s critically acclaimed and highest-ever rated documentary, Disney classic fan favorite “Invincible”, Film Festival Award-Winning Baseball Documentary “Faded Glory” and Najeh Davenport’s inside look at UMiami football, “A Tale of 5”

MIAMI (February 1, 2010) – The U.S. Sports Film Festival hits the Colony Theater on Miami’s South Beach February 4-6 with football-themed movies as part of the “Eats, Beats and Cleats” Festival.

The USSFF is proud to present a special screening of ESPN Films’ critically acclaimed “The U”, which was first screened in December as part of ESPN’s “30 for 30″ film series, and ESPN’s all-time highest rated documentary; “Invincible”, the amazing and true story starring Mark Wahlberg as Vince Papale, the infamous Philadelphia Eagles Walk-on; and “Faded Glory”, the dramatic documentary of a group of long-time friends and teammates who return to the field nearly 20 years later to try to win a senior national baseball championship. In addition, prior to the showing of “The U”, there will be a special screening of the trailer to “A Tale of 5”, former University of Miami running back Najeh Davenport’s preview feature on five-star University of Miami running backs.

Post-screening panels will discuss the films themes, stories and the stars behind them. Participants scheduled to attend include members of the University of Miami football team, current and former NFL players including Michael Irvin, Najeh Davenport, Vince Papale, “Invincible” producer Mark Ciardi, “The U” director Billy Corben and producer Alfred Spellman, Sports Studio’s Mark Ellis, ESPN broadcaster Bonnie Bernstein, radio announcer Joe Rose, ESPN producers John Dahl and Connor Schell, and others.

Screening times (subject to change) are: “The U” preceded by trailer for “A Tale of 5” – Thursday, Feb. 4, 7:00 p.m.; “Invincible” – Saturday, Feb. 6, 4:00 p.m. and “Faded Glory” – Saturday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster or at the box office located at 1040 Lincoln Road. For more information, please visit www.ussportsfilmfestival.org.

The Film “The U” tells the story of how during the 1980s, Miami was at the center of a racial and cultural shift-taking place throughout the country. Overwhelmed by riots and tensions, it was a city in flux, and the University of Miami football team served as a microcosm for this evolution. The image of the predominantly white university was forever changed when coach Howard Schnellenberger scoured some of the toughest ghettos in Florida to recruit mostly black players for his team. With a freshly branded swagger, inspired and fueled by the emerging local hip hop culture, the new-look Hurricanes won four national titles between 1983 and 1991. Director Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”), a Miami native and University of Miami alum, tells the story of how these “Bad Boys” of college football changed the attitude of the game they played, and how a serene campus was transformed into “The U.”

“A Tale of 5” shares the Miami Hurricane football experience from the eyes of one of its former stars. Former Canes running back Najeh Davenport’s documentary tells the story of Edgerrin James, Davenport, Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee and Frank Gore — five Hurricanes running backs who played together, challenged one another and overcame adversity while making Miami one of the deepest programs of running back talent in recent college football history. Najeh is a current member/owner of Allied Athlete Group. Allied Athlete Group is a private membership club for professional athletes based out of Atlanta, Ga.

A fan favorite, “Invincible” tells the true-life story of a regular-Joe Philadelphia football fan who is given an opportunity to participate in an open-tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles. Never having played football at college, Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a 30-year old substitute teacher and part-time barman, defies all odds when the Eagles coach (Greg Kinnear) picks him for the team. What follows is the stuff of every sports fan’s fantasies — professional glory, the ecstatic, unwavering and cheering support of his home town’s crowd, and, most of all, the chance to live a dream. From the producers of “The Rookie” and “Remember the Titans”.

“Faded Glory” is the true story of a group of aging athletes, good friends for over 18 years, who never gave up on the dream of playing baseball at a competitive level. Through the eyes of their manager Rick Cohen, “Faded Glory” follows the National Network team, eighteen men over the age of thirty-five who have overcome life’s adversities, including injury, divorce, bankruptcy, infidelity, drug addiction, incarceration, and one life-threatening disease. It all takes place as Network battles to win a National Amateur Baseball World Series title. “Faded Glory” is a captivating document of friendship, courage, humor and the indomitability of the human spirit.

The USSFF debuted in 2008 to wide critical acclaim and is the largest and only, U.S.-based sports film festival, celebrating classic favorites (“Miracle”, “Hoosiers”, “We are Marshall”) and the best in new sports films prior to their general release. Each film screening features a special event or panel giving attendants an interactive experience with the actors, directors, producers and inspirational figures that brought their favorite stories to the silver screen. In addition to its celebrity-attended events, the USSFF also features casting tryouts for sports-themed films hosted by the Hollywood-based Sports Studio, a “Sports & Film Continuing Legal Education” program and a “Sports Making a Difference in Society” film program. For more information, please visit www.ussportsfilmfestival.org.

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CONTACTS:
LAURIE KIRBY
USSFF
(401) 835-4802
laurie@ussportsfilmfestival.org

VINAYAK AHUJA
USSFF
(917) 405-3146
vinayak@ussportsfilmfestival.org