Documentary ‘Keep Shooting’ on NBA Legend John Starks to Premiere at Orlando International Film Festival, May 25th

-New Production on the Knicks ‘Unlikeliest Hero,’ NBA Legend John Starks, will air with introduction from Joel Osteen, behind-the-scenes discussion with John Starks and Producer Leigh Simons, President of JD3.TV, and OIFF Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation-

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#JamesDentley–After a years-long production, the life story of NBA Legend John Starks, “Keep Shooting,” will premiere live at the second annual Orlando International Film Festival (OIFF) on May 25, 2021.

The film from Producer Leigh Simons and Dr. James Dentley, CEO of JD3.TV (title sponsor of this year’s Festival) and John Starks will appear in A Student’s Workshop portion of the day’s events and will include discussion from all three on the process of producing a sports documentary at this level. Starks developed a second career in entrepreneurship and philanthropy since retiring from professional basketball in 2002, and also currently works for the Knicks as an alumnus and fan development official.

Producers are in discussion with multiple networks for the rights to “Keep Shooting,” but will premiere the film to attendees live on the second day of the OIFF’s May 24-28 event at Maitland and Winter Park, Florida. This year’s Festival will screen 164 films from 31 countries. Of this year’s selected films, 151 have premiere status including 23 world premieres.

The 2021 lineup also includes 90 women or non-binary filmmakers, comprising 55 percent of the festival’s total programming this year.

About “Keep Shooting”

“Keep Shooting” documents the unlikely emergence of one of the greatest players in NY Knick history, John Starks. As a young man, Starks progressed from bagging groceries at a Safeway grocery store in Tulsa, OK, for minimum wage to clawing his way into the NBA as an undrafted rookie with minimal high school and college playing experience.

“The Dunk,” Starks’ game-changing left-handed, soaring slam over Michael Jordan and Horace Grant in a 1993 playoff game against the Chicago Bulls, remains one of the most memorable moments in NBA history to this day.

In 1994 Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Starks scored 16 fourth-quarter points in an attempt to lead the Knicks to a come-from-behind victory over the Houston Rockets and deliver The Big Apple their first NBA championship in 23 years. Hakeem Olajuwon blocked his attempt, closing Starks’ claim to NBA and NY Knick immortality in the final seconds. Following this hair’s-breadth loss, in Game 7, he suffered the worst game of his career, shooting 2-18, and the Rockets won the championship.

Despite the loss, Starks’ career was exemplary. With an NBA 3-point shooting record and an NBA All-star, he bounced back after the 1994 playoffs to win the heralded Sixth Man of the year and be named to the NBA second all-defensive team. He became forever etched in the minds of New York fans for his fiery personality, mental and physical toughness, and dominant perimeter shooting.

Starks was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2011 and now works for The NY Knicks as an ambassador.

In “Keep Shooting,” decades later, Starks returns to the scene of the worst moment in his career at the old home of the Houston Rockets, the summit that has now become Lakeview Church, and visits with Pastor Joel Osteen.

Starks and Osteen shoot hoops together as they discuss the ways the worst moment in Starks’ career compelled him to soar even greater in the years that followed.

“Keep Shooting” The John Starks Story features Osteen and legendary basketball greats such as Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, Greg Anthony, the late Anthony Mason, Herb Williams and Charles Oakley. The film also features award-winning Sportscasters and journalists Marv Albert, Mike Wise of The Washington Post, and Barbara Barker of Newsday.

Said Starks: “It’s crazy, but life is a lot like a game of basketball. You can be a fingertip away from having it all and lose it all in a heartbeat. When you are at your lowest point is when the most strength is needed. This is when the most important decisions are made: Should you hold back and be contented, or should you get up, dust yourself off, get the ball back in your hands, and keep shooting?”

The trailer for the “Keep Shooting” documentary on John Sparks is available here.

Event Details

Attendees can view the film at the OIFF on May 25, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. in the Enzian Theater and from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the “Keep Shooting” Student Workshop, Sheraton Orlando North Hotel. Dr. Florence Alexander will present John Starks with The Lifetime Achievement Award for philanthropy from the Orlando International Film Festival at the student workshop.

The Festival’s title sponsor, JD3.TV, will also screen the “THINK AND GROW RICH” Full Feature Film on May 27, 2021, 10:30 a.m. at the Enzian Theater, a film used in a study group by the famous motivational speaker, Les Brown, to focus on prosperity consciousness.

Participants include producers, directors, actors, musicians, financiers, technicians, editors, distributors, and agents. Numerous panels of experts from the arts and entertainment, television, technology, and music industries are well equipped to educate film festival attendees on how to break through to make movies and get distribution and financing for their film and/or music projects.

Tickets to the Orlando International Film Festival at Enzian Theater and the virtual event are now available at https://www.orlandointernationalfilmfestival.org/.

Contacts

For Interviews or review screenings:PR Contact:Cheryl Conner, SnappConner PR
801-860-0150
info@snappconner.com

The post Documentary ‘Keep Shooting’ on NBA Legend John Starks to Premiere at Orlando International Film Festival, May 25th first appeared on Digital Media Net.