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Philadelphia Sports Film Festival Announces First Series Of Films

The inaugural U.S. Sports Film Festival (USSFF) will kick off this year on October 23 and run through the 26th in the City of Brotherly Love.  The first series of nine films selected to be screened was announced earlier today via press release.  Here is a portion of that release:

The festival…will debut the Mixed Martial Arts documentary “Renzo Gracie: Legacy,” the life story of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu master and the American patriarch of one of the world’s fastest rising sports, as well as the debut of “Basketball in the Barrio,” the story of two former University of Texas El Paso basketball players who started a program teaching basketball to the impoverished immigrant children of  South El Paso, and the stories of those who used basketball as a tool for fulfillment.

Other critically-acclaimed films slated to run at the USSFF include “Kickin It,” the Ted Leonsis-produced film about a team of homeless soccer players and their life stories and successes on the pitch; “Run For Your Life,” the true-life story of the man who created the New York City Marathon, Fred Lebow; and “Kassim The Dream,” the story of Ugandan-born boxing world champion Kassim Ouma, a kidnapped child soldier and his struggles to break free and regain his life as a professional athlete.

Each film will include a series of events involving the stars and makers of the films, who will be on hand to discuss all the elements that went into making these landmarks.  Already, nearly 100 films have been submitted for review ranging from the traditional sports to Mixed Martial Arts, Extreme Endurance Racing and even Pin Trading.  The remaining list of 10 films, many to be seen on a big screen for the first time, will be released in the coming weeks. 

Additionally, the first 10 films also include a series of classic films by director Mark Ciardi,including “Invincible,” “Miracle,” and “The Rookie.”

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

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