AMERICANIZED and THE LAST OUT will be screening in-person on November 6th at the Rowland Theatre with the filmmakers taking questions in Philipsburg.
"Focusing on a trio of Cuban defectors who live and train together in Costa Rica as they try to land a lucrative contract in the U.S., the film portrays just how high the stakes are for athletes who are betting not only their careers, but also their livelihood and that of their families back home, on a future that’s far from a guaranteed home run... What The Last Out ultimately makes clear is that no matter who’s in charge, guys like Oliveros, Baró and González will keep trying to go pro in the U.S., their fates depending less on their talents than on the whims of scouts, agents, and a billion-dollar industry that fails to see how, for them, baseball is more than just a game."
Three Cuban Baseball players leave their families and risk exile to train in Central America and chase their dream of making it to the Major Leagues.
From Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sami Khan (ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN) and Michael Gassert comes a gripping documentary about the shadowy nexus between the migrant trail and pro sports.
Director Bios:
Sami Khan (director/producer) is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose work has been supported by the Sundance and Tribeca Film Institutes, Impact Partners, Rooftop Films, IFP, the Berlinale, and NBC/Universal’s Directors Fellowship. His films have screened at leading festivals including Tribeca, Toronto, Hot Docs, and Mumbai. Sami’s most recent film is the short documentary ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN (with Smriti Mundhra). The film was nominated for a 2020 Academy Award and won prizes at Tribeca, Hot Docs, Big Sky, Traverse City, AFI Docs, and Indy Shorts.
Michael Gassert (director/producer) is an immersive producer, director, sound artist, and musician who revels in the diversity of our global treasures while working at the intersections of film and music. His documentary and archival work is supported by IFP, Sundance Institute, UNESCO, and The Kennedy Center. Michael has produced recordings with Ornette Coleman, Jason Moran, The Master Musicians of Jajouka, Patti Smith, Flea, Perry Farrell, and Mango Ghost. Notable sound mixing credits include BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, ANOTHER EARTH, CIRCUMSTANCE, CASUALTIES OF THE GRIDIRON and DANGEROUS ACTS Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus.
- Year2020
- Runtime74 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Spanish
- CountryUnited States, Costa Rica, Cuba
- DirectorSami Kahn + Michael Gassert
AMERICANIZED and THE LAST OUT will be screening in-person on November 6th at the Rowland Theatre with the filmmakers taking questions in Philipsburg.
"Focusing on a trio of Cuban defectors who live and train together in Costa Rica as they try to land a lucrative contract in the U.S., the film portrays just how high the stakes are for athletes who are betting not only their careers, but also their livelihood and that of their families back home, on a future that’s far from a guaranteed home run... What The Last Out ultimately makes clear is that no matter who’s in charge, guys like Oliveros, Baró and González will keep trying to go pro in the U.S., their fates depending less on their talents than on the whims of scouts, agents, and a billion-dollar industry that fails to see how, for them, baseball is more than just a game."
Three Cuban Baseball players leave their families and risk exile to train in Central America and chase their dream of making it to the Major Leagues.
From Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sami Khan (ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN) and Michael Gassert comes a gripping documentary about the shadowy nexus between the migrant trail and pro sports.
Director Bios:
Sami Khan (director/producer) is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose work has been supported by the Sundance and Tribeca Film Institutes, Impact Partners, Rooftop Films, IFP, the Berlinale, and NBC/Universal’s Directors Fellowship. His films have screened at leading festivals including Tribeca, Toronto, Hot Docs, and Mumbai. Sami’s most recent film is the short documentary ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN (with Smriti Mundhra). The film was nominated for a 2020 Academy Award and won prizes at Tribeca, Hot Docs, Big Sky, Traverse City, AFI Docs, and Indy Shorts.
Michael Gassert (director/producer) is an immersive producer, director, sound artist, and musician who revels in the diversity of our global treasures while working at the intersections of film and music. His documentary and archival work is supported by IFP, Sundance Institute, UNESCO, and The Kennedy Center. Michael has produced recordings with Ornette Coleman, Jason Moran, The Master Musicians of Jajouka, Patti Smith, Flea, Perry Farrell, and Mango Ghost. Notable sound mixing credits include BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, ANOTHER EARTH, CIRCUMSTANCE, CASUALTIES OF THE GRIDIRON and DANGEROUS ACTS Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus.
- Year2020
- Runtime74 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Spanish
- CountryUnited States, Costa Rica, Cuba
- DirectorSami Kahn + Michael Gassert