Red White Black & Blue Odyssey (2017)

Students from South Los Angeles fly to New Zealand to play Rugby. A sport that is increasingly popular in the United States, the tour provides these students and the Kiwi teams they battle a rare opportunity to dig beneath the surface of things. On the field, troubled histories melt away, and we see boys rise as men; girls lead as women stronger for facing up to a challenge. 'Red, White, Black and Blue' provides a sensitive take on a rough game: it blends on-field triumph with off-field tragedy. If the spirit of these teens is any indication, the Olympic Rugby Gold Medal - currently held by the United States since it was last an Olympic sport in 1924 - may just be defensible after all.

James BrownDirector