FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 12th, 2016

NBC SPORTS GROUP ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR SHORT-FORM FEATURE AND FILM CONTEST CPTR’D (CAPTURED)

Winning Project To Be Telecast on NBCSN and Awarded $10,000

Five Independent Film Projects Selected From More Than 900 Submissions Across 48 States

Stamford, Conn – February 12, 2016 – NBC Sports Group announced today the five projects selected as finalists for CPTR’D (Captured), a new sports short-form feature contest open to independent filmmakers of all levels who aspire to follow NBC Sports’ Emmy Award-winning storytelling heritage. The select short-form feature submissions will be presented across NBC Sports Group’s digital platforms, and the winning CPTR’D project will be telecast on NBCSN and be awarded $10,000.

The five CPTR’D finalists are En Garde!, produced by Rubi Barragan and Raza Naqvi; Not Just Strong for a Girl, produced by Bill Politis; Queens & Knights, produced by Sandra Chuma and Nyasha Kadandara; Me, My Mom, and Dennis Rodman, produced by Jason Gilmore and Brian Branch, and Going the Distance, produced by Jessie Beers-Altman.

Beginning last year, filmmakers with triumphant tales and dramatic stories were invited to submit short-form feature projects on any sports-related topic. More than 900 entries were submitted from independent filmmakers across 48 states, from which the five CPTR’D finalists were selected.

All judging of initial CPTR’D submissions was done by an NBC Sports Group panel. The first, second and third place finalist selections will be decided by a collaboration of public and judges votes. Judges for the contest include Access Hollywood anchor Billy Bush, Yahoo! Sports columnist Dan Wetzel, journalist Amy K. Nelson, SB Nation Editorial Director Spencer Hall, NBC Sports Premier League analysts Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe, and The Dan Patrick Show Executive Producer Paul Pabst. Fans can vote for each project by visiting  http://www.cptrdcontest.com. Voting ends on Wednesday, March 9, 2016.

“I’m honored to help recognize some of the fresh talent in the independent film space,” said Bush, anchor Access Hollywood. “Everyone needs an opportunity to showcase their talent and it’s great to see how NBC Sports is giving them an opportunity.”

Winners of the contest will be announced on Saturday, March 12, at a CPTR’D viewing party on the NBC Sports Lawn in Austin, Texas. The second-place finisher will win a camera gear bundle worth $2,500, and third place will win a $1,000 gift card.

FIVE CPTR’D FINALISTS

  • En Garde! – Produced by Los Angeles and New York based journalists Rubi Barragan & Raza Naqvi, En Garde! follows 12-year-old R.J. Browne as he rises above a difficult past and develops a talent and passion for fencing. Produced in New York, Barragan and Naqvi were introduced to Browne when they visited the Peter Westbrook Foundation in Harlem, which runs programs to teach underserved and inner-city students the sport of fencing.
  • Not Just Strong for a Girl – Produced by Boston based documentary filmmaker Bill Politis, Not Just Strong For A Girl takes viewers inside the mind of Molly Kelly, a power lifter from Boston University who explores her own identity and the stereotypes facing women in sports. The moving portrait of Kelly follows her journey as the sport she loves changes her life and makes her physically and mentally stronger than she ever imagined she could be.
  • Queens & Knights – Features the story of the Gotham Knights, an inclusive Rugby team on Randall’s Island, NY. The film captures how the team’s diverse and close-knit members are challenging perceptions of masculinity and athleticism. Queens & Knights is produced by New York based multimedia journalists Sandra Chuma and Nyasha Kadandara.
  • Me, My Mom, and Dennis Rodman – Produced by Los Angeles based filmmaker Jason Gilmore and animator Brian Branch, Me, My Mom and Dennis Rodman is a light-hearted animation which shares the real-life story of a chance encounter with veteran NBA F and five-time NBA Champion Dennis Rodman.
  • Going the Distance – Produced by Boston-based educator and filmmaker Jessie Beers-Altman, Going the Distance features the story of how the 75 and older, 100m race, at the Penn Relays became the most popular competition at the annual track & field event in Philadelphia, PA. Beers-Altman highlights the history of the iconic track & field competition, and shines a spotlight on how the definition of “athlete” is truly ageless.

 

Click here to watch each film: http://www.cptrdcontest.com.

ABOUT CPTR’D

Formed in 2015, CPTR’D (Captured) is a sports short-form feature contest created and managed by NBC Sports Group. Select submissions will be presented on http://www.cptrdcontest.com, and the winning project will be telecast on NBCSN.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–