One of the first posts I did on Ancient to Future, back in June 2011, was a news story on the forthcoming indie documentary Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC. Co-directed by Bobbito Garcia aka Kool Bob Love and Kevin Couliau, this much anticipated film explores the definition, history, culture, and social impact of New York’s summer b-ball scene, widely recognized as the worldwide “Mecca” of the sport.

Appropriately, Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC is set to be premiered this Friday (September 21st)  at  URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL, AMC Theater 34th Street between 8th/9th Avenue , NYC. Hopefully, not too long will elapse before it crosses the Atlantic and some well publicised  cinematic  showings grace our own inner cities. .

In New York City, pick-up basketball is not just a sport. It is a way of life. There are 700+ outdoor courts, and an estimated 500,000 players, the most loyal of which approach the game as a religion, and the playground as their church.

“You can play high school or college for four years. You can play Pro for a decade. You can play pick-up … for life.”

Doin’ It In The Park lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of playground legends, NBA athletes, and most importantly the common ballplayer who all day looks forward to calling “next” game at their local schoolyard.

Co-directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau visited 180 courts throughout NYC’s five boroughs to create their debut documentary. They traveled to a majority of the locations by bicycle, carrying camera equipment and a ball in their backpacks. The film’s title refers as much to the subject matter as it does to the method of film-making, providing an unprecedented perspective on urban America’s most popular, and accessible, free recreation.

Bring it on!