Film Image
Boys of Summer
Producer: Keith Aumont & Ariana Garfinkel
2010
Color
94 minutes
Curaçao/US
Papiamentu/English
English subtitles

Boys of Summer

On the tiny Caribbean island of Curaçao, Manager Vernon Isabella has sent his Little League All-Stars to the World Series for seven consecutive years, routinely defeating such baseball powerhouses as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to win a spot in Williamsport. How do they do it?

This film tries to crack the code of Curaçao's phenomenal success. It explores what baseball means to Curaçao, a tropical paradise where tourists enjoy beautiful beaches while residents deal with the harsher realities of a country still struggling to define itself economically and politically.

At its core, BOYS OF SUMMER is a film about the universally beloved pastime of baseball, examined from a unique perspective. It's about children carrying the privilege and burden of a nation's pride. It's about young men achieving excellence through teamwork, confidence, and community support, while having the time of their lives.
BOYS OF SUMMER is available from Third World Newsreel for educational purchase on DVD & Digital File combo. To facilitate group discussion, a free guide is available online courtesy of Black Public Media's AfroPoP TV series. Download the study guide here: http://blackpublicmedia.org/downloads/discussion-guides/BOYS-OF-SUMMER_discussion-guide.pdf. Filmmaker Keith Aumont is available for speaking engagements and workshops.
Pricing & Ordering
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K-12, Public Libraries & Select Groups DVD Sale $80.00
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Reviews
“With team manager Vernon Isabella at the helm, the players learn about baseball, hard work, overcoming obstacles and continually display national pride on their road to the championship series.” - New York Daily News
“Charming… Delightful screen presences, and the soundtrack of island jams begs for its own album.” - San Antonio Current
“…A dedicated, determined Little League team that bested clubs from larger nations and made it to Williamsport seven years running. Boys of Summer documents the race to win in the eighth year. It's a Hoop Dreams story with the charm of knowing that the payback for victory is self-respect.” - Express Milwaukee
“Boys of Summer is a rare, interesting look at the ups and downs of youth sports.” - San Antonio Express-News
“To a rollicking soundtrack, viewers see some nice action montages of the kids practicing, goofing off in their spare time, and coping with a degree of celebrity. There are also some intriguing glimpses into their home life.” - Library Journal
“…delightful story of hard work, fundamentals and David vs. Goliath baseball.” - Huffington Post
“Inspirational and fast-paced… Boys of Summer is a winner. A true story of determination.” - DVD Verdict
“…A great film… Sports can motivate us, educate us, and drive us to meet or exceed our expectations. Sometimes, playing a game even helps us to just have expectations of what can be. We get to experience new things, which sets the stage for enlightenment one may not ever imagine without sports.” - Sports Doing Good
"A documentary for anyone who enjoys watching kids confidently reach for their dreams." - Documentary Channel
"From a tiny Caribbean island that was once a slave trade center, this is a story of national pride beating all the odds." - AfroPoP, The Ultimate Cultural Exchange
Awards

• Best Documentary Audience Award, Latin American Film Festival, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• Best Sound, Sport Film Festival, Palermo, Italy
Screenings
• World Premiere, HBO New York International Latino Film Festival
• Latin American Film Festival, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• Aruba International Film Festival
• The Cinemas, Curaçao
• New Orleans Film Festival
• National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY
• Dominican Republic Global Film Festival
• Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, San Antonio
• Winternachten Festival, The Hague, Netherlands
• Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, Austin
• Palm Beach International Film Festival
• Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival, Sebastopol, CA
• Billtown Film Festival, Community Arts Center, Williamsport, PA
• African Diaspora International Film Festival, Columbia University, New York
• Manhattan Youth Baseball Fundraiser, New York
• Prospect Sierra School, El Cerrito, CA
• Utah Film Center, Salt Lake City
• Salina Art Center, KS
• Sport Film Festival, Palermo, Italy
• Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival
• Cinema Club, Haarlem, The Netherlands
• Caribbean Film Festival, Atlanta Public Library
• AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, WORLD Channel & PBS
• ESPN & ESPN Classic
• Sundance Channel Global

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