Freep Film Festival kicks off with story of extraordinary Downriver basketball team
The 11th annual Freep Film Festival kicked off Wednesday evening with an energetic, sold-out crowd for the screening of "Rouge," a documentary on a storied Downriver basketball program, at the Detroit Film Theatre.
The film tells the story of the River Rouge High School Panthers, the winningest high school boys basketball program in Michigan history.
"River Rouge, places like Taylor, where I went to high school, they have so many stereotypes and misrepresentation, so it's exciting to be here to be able to bring respect and recognition to a community like River Rouge that it's deserved for so long," said producer Razi Jafri.
The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, honoring the Panthers and the River Rouge community.
The documentary is directed and produced by Hamoody Jaafar, a Downriver native who grew up watching the team.
"This means the world to me because I'm from Downriver, it's tied to my childhood, so I couldn't be more proud about that," said Jaafar, who hopes the film will shed light on the community of River Rouge beyond its challenges.
"I also want people to take away the humanity of it all, the hearts and souls from River Rouge are so pure and beautiful that I think there's a little bit of a misconception when it comes to the area just because of how economically and environmentally challenged it is," he said.
Following the screening, a panel discussion featured Free Press sports columnist Shawn Windsor, along with Jaafar; Jafri; Eastern Michigan University director of basketball operations and former River Rouge boys basketball coach LaMonta Stone; EMU forward Legend Geeter, who starred at River Rouge, and longtime Detroit Pistons play-by-play announcer George Blaha.
Blaha recalled the legacy of the Panthers' historic State Championship wins of the 1960s.
"When I saw them, they were like the Boston Celtics, they always found a way to win," Blaha said. "Win year in, year out and they seemed like they were tied together as a team. It was not just a team, it was a community."
"Rouge" is set to screen again Friday, 6 p.m. at the Michigan Science Center.
The film is also available to watch virtually during the festival, which runs through Sunday, featuring a lineup of over 20 feature-length documentaries and dozens of shorts.
Most of the films slated for the festival will be making their world, Michigan or Detroit premieres, with many arriving fresh from prestigious festivals such as Sundance and SXSW.
The annual documentary festival produced by the Detroit Free Press will feature nearly 50 events in total, including parties, educational events and dinners that pair movies with meals prepared by top local chefs.
Venues include the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan Science Center, Detroit Historical Museum, Birmingham 8 Powered by Emagine and Hazel Park restaurant Frame.
Among the other films set to be screened are: "23 Mile," on the events that took place in Michigan as a swing state during the 2020 presidential election; "A Two Hearted Tale," on the artist who created the iconic branding imagery for Michigan’s most famed beer; "The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit," on the Motor City's remarkable jazz legacy; "Frida," on the life of iconic artist Frida Kahlo, including the time she spent in Detroit, and "Luther: Never Too Much," on the late R&B icon Luther Vandross.
Freep Film Festival
April 10-14
Full lineup and more at freepfilmfestival.com.
Tickets for individual films: $15, with five-packs available at a reduced price.
Virtual screenings of some films available for $12, goelevent.com/Freep/e/Search.
Dinner and a movie tickets at framehazelpark.com/experience/freep-film-festival-frame-2024/.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Freep Film Festival opening night features Downriver sports film
