Two premieres have been announced to bookend the SILVERDOCS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, which begins on Monday. The Festival opens with the U.S. Premiere of MORE THAN A GAME, a remarkable coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Directed by Kristopher Belman, the documentary film follows the incredible rise (and occasional fall) of five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio. Led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the film chronicles the seven-year journey that leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and will be theatrically released by Lionsgate later this year.

The Festival Closing Night Gala on Saturday, June 20 is the world premiere presentation of THE NINE LIVES OF MARION BARRY, a chroncile of the embattled mayor of Washington DC. Directed by Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer, the film offers a contrasting portrait of a man who some consider a folk hero and others a headline-grabbing scoundrel. In the 1980s and 1990s, Marion Barry was one of the more colorful mayors of a major city. When he was famously caught buying drugs in a 1990 FBI sting, his career seemed over. But the people of Washington DC repeatedly voted him back into office.....a testament to his personal charisma.

The film, which looks at both sides of this complex man and lets the audience decide, was produced by HBO Documentary Films and will premiere on the pay cable network later this summer. To find out more about these films, visit their websites:

•MORE THAN A GAME: www.lionsgatepublicity.com/epk/morethanagame/
•THE NINE LIVES OF MARION BARRY: www.hbo.com/docs

by Sandy Mandelberger, Silverdocs Festival Dailies Editor on fest21.com