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Doin' It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC

Maysles Cinema
New York, NY

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Thursday, May 22nd - Wednesday, May 28th, 7:30pm
(Back by Popular Demand!)
Doin' It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC
Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau, 2012, 83 min.
Doin' It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC is an independent documentary directed by Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau. The film explores the definition, history, culture and social impact of New York's summer b-ball scene, the worldwide "Mecca" of the sport. In New York City, pick-up basketball is not just a sport. It is a way of life. There are 700+ outdoor courts, and an estimated 500,000 players, the most loyal of which approach the game as a religion, and the playground as their church. "You can play high school or college for four years. You can play Pro for a decade. You can play pick-up . . . for life." Doin' It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of playground legends, NBA athletes, and most importantly the common ballplayer who all day looks forward to calling "next" game at their local schoolyard. Co-directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau visited 180 courts throughout NYC's five boroughs to create their debut documentary. They traveled to a majority of the locations by bicycle, carrying camera equipment and a basketball in their backpacks. The film's title refers as much to the subject matter as it does to the method of filmmaking, providing an unprecedented perspective on Urban America's most popular, and accessible, free recreation. Features "Pee Wee" Kirkland, God Shammgod, Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Kenny "The Jet" Smith, Kenny "Chibbs" Anderson, Jack "Blackjack" Ryan, Geoff Huston, Mark Norman aka "The Movie," Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Niki "The Model" Avery, James "Fly" Williams, Miliani "M & M" Malik, and "Smush" Parker.

Q&A with director Bobbito Garcia to follow the screenings on Thursday, May 22nd and Wednesday, May 28th.

This series is made possible in part with public funds from NYSCA's' Electronic Media and Film Presentation Funds grant program, administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes (www.NYSCA.org www.eARTS.org).