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\u201cGive Me The Ball!,\u201d an upcoming ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, will open the third annual Croatia International Film Festival on July 24 in the coastal city of Sibenik.<\/p>\n
Oscar nominee and Primetime Emmy winner Liz Garbus<\/a> and Elizabeth Wolff directed the doc about American tennis player Billie Jean King<\/a>. The film, which includes interviews with King, her wife Ilana Kloss, tennis luminaries including Chris Evert, and King\u2019s friend Elton John, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January.<\/p>\n The opening night screening of \u201cGive Me The Ball!\u201d at Sibenik\u2019s Main City Square marks the film\u2019s international debut.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are thrilled to bring Billie Jean King\u2019s story to a global audience,\u201d Garbus and Wolff told Variety in a joint statement. \u201cWe hope that the attendees watching the film are as wowed by us at Billie Jean\u2019s story of being a selfless warrior who put everything on the line for her community.\u201d<\/p>\n Created by Croatian American actress and producer Ella Mische, the inaugural CIFF took place in August 2024 and attracted 5,000 in-person visitors. Mische, who was part of the casting department on the 2022 Adam Sandler film \u201cHustle,\u201d has worked in the entertainment industry for the last two decades, casting, directing, acting, and producing. She decided to launch CIFF during the writers\u2019 and actors\u2019 strikes in 2023.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring that time, I saw a lot of my friends become depressed,\u201d Mische said. \u201cWith friends in New York and L.A., the topic of conversation was about how there was no work. I thought to myself, \u2018Now is the time to create.\u2019 I needed to figure something out.\u201d<\/p>\n Alonso Ruizpalacios \u201cLa Cocina,\u201d starring Rooney Mara opened the inaugural festival, while Bleecker Street\u2019s \u201cThe Friend,\u201d starring Bill Murray and Naomi Watts launched the second annual CIFF.<\/p>\n This year, Mische, along with 10 CIFF team members, received over 1,200 film submissions from around the world, representing the fest\u2019s largest and most competitive selection pool to date. They narrowed the submissions down to 15 features, 16 shorts, and 14 student films.<\/p>\n Eight narrative features and seven documentary features, including John Alexander\u2019s \u201cLittle Satchmo\u201d and Diana Madison\u2019s \u201cNo Place Like Home,\u201d will screen during CIFF.<\/p>\n ESPN will send an introduction video from Billie Jean King for the opening of \u201cGive Me The Ball!\u201d<\/p>\n