By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com
Strand Releasing looks to hit one out of the park with BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Culver City, CA (April 17, 2012) – Strand Releasing has acquired select US rights to baseball documentary BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO that is directed by Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jon Paley. The documentary focuses on two young baseball players, or peloteros as they are called in the Dominican Republic, as they strive to get signed by a professional club on their 16th birthday – the age they become eligible. The film, which is narrated by actor John Leguizamo and executive produced by Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, is set for a July 13th release in theaters and video-on-demand.
BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO is set to screen at a number of film festivals this summer, including the upcoming Sarasota Film Festival, Independent Film Festival Boston and the Aruba International Film Festival.
The deal was done between Strand Releasing’s Jon Gerrans and The Films Sales Company’s Andrew Herwitz it was announced today.
“We’re thrilled to be releasing this informative and revealing documentary, which will not only appeal to baseball fans everywhere, but also anyone who appreciates quality filmmaking. The simultaneous VOD release will be an excellent way to bring this film to the largest possible audience and the timing with the MLB All-Star Game will be a great tie-in for maximum exposure,” said Gerrans.
BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO is Finkel, Martin, and Paley’s first feature length film. They spent nine months living in the Dominican Republic during production.
“We are so thrilled to be working with Strand Releasing to bring this story to baseball fans around the country,” said Paley. “Every summer we tune in to see teams stocked with Dominican players, but no one has ever told the story of how they made it there, or their compatriots who didn’t.”
The filmmakers are currently working on a follow-up project that will continue to track the two ballplayers featured in PELOTERO – Miguel Angel Sano and Jean Carlos Batista – as they rise through the minor leagues.
Select past documentaries that Strand Releasing has handled include AYN RAND: A SENSE OF LIFE, PICTURE ME, CAMERAMAN: THE LIFE AND WORK OF JACK CARDIFF, and OF TIME AND THE CITY. Strand Releasing is based in Culver City and is currently has Cristian Jimenez’ BONSAI, Andre Techine’s UNFORGIVABLE, Joachim Trier’s OSLO AUGUST 31st in release.
For more information about BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO, please Like the film on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Peloteromovie or visit the film’s official website:http://www.peloterothemovie.com.
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