Mighty Penguins | |
---|---|
Directed by | Louis Myles Ahmed Twaij |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Steve Middleditch Will Billany |
Edited by | Steve Williams |
Production companies |
|
Release date |
|
Running time | 33 minutes [1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Mighty Penguins is a 2023 sports documentary film about an amateur football team Brentford Penguins, consisting of players with Down's Syndrome, established by former Tottenham Hotspur player Allan Cockram in London, in 2017. The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival in 2023.
The film is part of a wider series called Sports Explains the World, executive produced by John Skipper for Meadowlark Media. [2] [3]
Allan Cockram, who founded the Brentford Penguins in 2017, told TalkSport that he received a phone call from producer/director Louis Myles which he thought “was a wind-up at first” about making a documentary about the club and the players. [4] It was co-produced and co-directed by Ahmed Twaij, and produced by All a Dream Productions and Firelight Media. [5]
The film had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023. [6]
Donald McRae in The Guardian described the film as directed “with a light touch” by Louis Myles and Ahmed Twaij. At a BFI Southbank screening Mark Kermode described the film as “utterly remarkable and utterly life-affirming”. [7]
Following the release of the film, former footballer David Beckham, and his son Romeo, met the Mighty Penguins team in September 2023, and presented Cockram with an Who Cares Wins Unsung Hero Award from The Sun newspaper. [8]
A premiere, also spelled première, is the debut of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work.
Michael Winterbottom is an English film director. He began his career working in British television before moving into features. Three of his films—Welcome to Sarajevo, Wonderland and 24 Hour Party People—have competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He and co-director Mat Whitecross won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival for their work on The Road to Guantanamo.
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2002 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. Until 2020, the festival was known as the Tribeca Film Festival.
Dan Le Batard is an American newspaper sportswriter, ex-radio host, podcast host and television reporter based in Miami, Florida. He has also worked at ESPN, and for his hometown paper, the Miami Herald, for which he wrote from 1990 to 2016.
Jeffrey Leib Nettler Zimbalist is an American filmmaker. He has been Academy Award shortlisted, has won a Peabody, a DuPont, 5 Emmy Awards with 17 Emmy nominations. He is the owner of film and television production company All Rise Films.
Josh Koury is an American filmmaker, best known for his documentary films Voyeur, Journey to Planet X, We Are Wizards and Standing by Yourself.
Allan Charles Cockram is an English retired professional footballer who played in the Football League for Tottenham Hotspur, Bristol Rovers, Brentford and Reading as a midfielder or winger. He later player-managed St Albans City and Chertsey Town in non-League football. Cockram is currently manager of Cambridge University.
Monica & David is a 2009 documentary by Alexandra Codina. The film focuses on the daily lives of Monica and David, a young married couple with Down syndrome. The film premiered on November 22, 2009 at IDFA and has won Best Documentary Feature at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. Monica & David later had a television premiere on HBO on October 14, 2010.
Nathan William Byrne is an English professional footballer who plays for Charlotte FC. He can play as either a wing back or a right-back.
Teta, Alf Marra is an Arabic language documentary film about a feisty Beiruti grandmother.
A Brony Tale is a 2014 Canadian-American documentary film directed by Brent Hodge. The film explores the brony phenomenon, the adult fan base of the children's animated show My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic that arose shortly after its premiere in 2010. The film is structured around the journey of Ashleigh Ball, one of the principal voice actresses for the show, including her initial reactions to learning of this older fanbase, and her travel as a Guest of Honor to one of the first fan conventions BronyCon held in New York City in 2012. Hodge, a close friend of and previous collaborator with Ball, was curious as she was as to this phenomenon and opted to film her travel and appearance at the convention for the documentary.
Next Goal Wins is a 2014 British documentary film directed by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. The film chronicles the national football team of American Samoa as they try to recover from the indignity of being known as one of the weakest football teams in the world, and to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Fathom is a 2021 American documentary film, directed by Drew Xanthopoulos. It follows two researchers of humpback whales who study their communication and how it evolves across oceans and continents.
Pray Away is a 2021 American documentary film produced and directed by Kristine Stolakis. It follows survivors of conversion therapy, and former leaders. Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy serve as executive producers.
The One and Only Dick Gregory is a 2021 American documentary film, directed, written, and produced by Andre Gaines, under his Cinemation Studios banner. It follows the life and career of comedian Dick Gregory. Kevin Hart and Lena Waithe serve as executive producers under their Hartbeat Productions and Hillman Grad Productions, banners, respectively.
Myles Spencer Peart-Harris is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Swansea City, on loan from Premier League club Brentford.
Michael Zimbalist is an American filmmaker. He is a three-time Emmy Award and a Peabody Awards winner.
The 2022–23 season was Tottenham Hotspur's 31st season in the Premier League, 45th successive season in the top flight of the English football league system and 117th season in existence. In addition to the domestic league, they participated in the season's FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Champions League, having finished fourth in the 2021–22 Premier League.
Giant Pictures is an American independent film distribution company founded by Nick Savva and Jeff Stabenau with offices in New York City and Los Angeles. The company releases feature films, documentaries and series on streaming platforms, with an emphasis on flexibility and customization for filmmakers. Giant Pictures owns and operates specialty theatrical label, Drafthouse Films. Giant is the distribution and technology partner of the Tribeca Festival.
BS High is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Martin Desmond Roe and Travon Free. It follows the Bishop Sycamore High School scandal. Spencer Paysinger serves as a producer, while Adam McKay and Michael Strahan serve as executive producers.