The First Basket

Location(s)

The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco Presents: "Let the Games Begin! A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME: JEWISH SPORTS FILMS"

About The First Basket
Directed by David Vyorst
Narrated by Peter Riegert.
86 minutes, united States, in English.
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival and JCCSF kick off – or tip off – our series with the Bay Area premiere of The First Basket, David Vyorst’s fascinating new documentary on the impact of basketball on modern Jewish history, as well as the profound influence of unsung Jewish pioneers on the evolution of the sport, as it grew from a game played with ash-cans on tenement steps to the second most popular sport in the world.

Whether in documentaries or fiction features, filmmakers have often been inspired by the dramatic and sometimes surprising stories of Jewish athletes. Some films have celebrated the athletic achievements of a group not often recognized for physical prowess (e.g., The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg), while others have explored sports as a proving ground of social acceptance (Chariots of Fire), assimilation (Orthodox Stance) or coexistence (Wondrous Oblivion). Join us for two exciting new films about Jewish athletes.

Curated and co-presented by the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.