Tuesday marks the world premiere of “Keepers of the Game” as a part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film festival. The documentary, from award-winning director Judd Ehrlich, chronicles the journey of the girls’ lacrosse team at Salmon River High in Fort Covington, New York. Just before their season starts, their funding is cut. For these athletes, however, the challenges facing them are not only monetary. They are an all-Mohawk team from the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. Akwesasne is where the game of lacrosse originated, but since it is traditionally considered a game for men and boys, the girls face additional challenges from family, friends and neighbors as they seek to play. Ultimately they learn to reclaim the sport for themselves.
Keepers of the Game” is the second collaboration among Ehrlich, the Tribeca Film Festival and Dick’s Sporting Goods, which funded the film through the Sports Matter campaign from its foundation. Ehrlich won a Sports Emmy Award for a previous film, “We Could Be King.”
Ehrlich sat down with espnW to talk about the film and the importance of storytelling.
Continue reading the interview on espn.go.com.