Strand Releasing presents
BALLPLAYER:
PELOTERO
A film by Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jon Paley
Official Selection:
Hamptons International Film Festival
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Miami International Film Festival
Cleveland Film Festival
Portland International Film Festival
Release Date: July 13, 2012 (theatrical and VOD)
Country of Origin: U.S./Dominican Republic
Running Time: 77 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Not Rated
In English and Spanish with English Subtitles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Peloteromovie
Official Film Site: http://www.peloterothemovie.com
NY/National Publicity Contact:
Alex Klenert
Prodigy PR
[email protected]
Phone: 310.857.2020 x 141
LA/National Publicity Contact:
James Lewis
[email protected]
Phone: 323.828.2424
Sports Publicity Contact:
Zach Rosenfield
Prodigy PR
[email protected]
310.857.2020 x 131
Please download photos from our website:
http://extranet.strandreleasing.com/secure/login.aspx?username=PRESS&password=STRAND
SYNOPSIS
This compelling documentary narrated by John Leguizamo is a gritty and never before
seen look inside the world of professional baseball training camps in the Dominican
Republic. Miguel Angel and Jean Carlos are two of the top prospects at a training camp,
and they are both about to turn 16, which means they can be signed to a farm team and
ultimately move up to the big leagues. Filmmakers Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and
Jonathan Paley take you inside this never before seen world for an up close and personal
look at the cost of the American dream.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
The central question behind Pelotero was a simple one: Why are Dominicans so good at
baseball? The tiny island nation is consistently overrepresented in the big leagues, and as
America’s pastime continues to globalize, every year brings a fresh crop of young
Dominican Peloteros to the top levels of the game. We had a romantic image of these
players’ humble beginnings etched in our minds; poor kids chasing rolled up socks
through dusty streets as motorbikes whizzed by. However, that vision of street ball felt
disconnected to another romantic idea of Dominican baseball; Big Papi, Sammy Sosa, or
Robinson Cano slowly trotting around the bases under the bright lights and cheering fans
of a big league ballpark. How does one lead to the other? And what is the story in
between the two?
When an opportunity arose to secure some grant money in college to produce a
documentary, we decided to travel to the Dominican Republic and do our best to connect
the dots. That research trip allowed us to survey the country, build relationships and get
a feel for what was really going on. More importantly though, we left the island infected
with the spirit, passion, and zealousness of Dominican baseball.
When we came back a year later, this time for the long haul, we discovered that our
simple question had a very complex answer -- one that had more to do with the hallways
of big league offices than with any dusty street. Where we had expected to find the “Wild
West of Baseball” that we had read so much about, we instead discovered a highly
nuanced system struggling with its own identity.
The Dominican system is one of stark contradictions. It’s institutionalized yet
independent. A free market, yet frequently manipulated. It is a system where integrity
and corruption are interchangeable tactics in the pursuit of the countries top players.
Indeed, the forces that make Dominican players so successful are the same forces that
make the Dominican system so dangerous for professional baseball. Most importantly,
for all these reasons, or perhaps in spite of them, the Dominican system is extremely
effective.
Pelotero sheds light on some of the most pressing issues regarding the export of
Dominican baseball players to the US: age and identity fraud, exploitation, and the
opaque role professional baseball plays in determining the fates of young players and
their families. However, at heart, the film is a story about two gifted young men with a
shared dream, doing their best to navigate a mercenary world with the hopes, fears and
burdens of their entire families riding on their success or failure.
-
Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jon Paley
CAST INFO
MIGUEL ANGEL SANÓ
15, is a young shortstop heralded by some as the future of Dominican baseball; once-in-a
generation talent, and a shoe-in for big league greatness. Others whisper that his
outsized skills aren’t credible for a player of his age; that like many other bright
Dominican stars his name is not Miguel Angel, but Pedro, or Juan, or a litany of others,
borrowed from his countrymen to defraud the big leagues out of millions of dollars. As
Miguel Angel is widely expected to set a record-breaking bonus – a sum out of reach for
several of the teams who most eagerly pursue him – his family optimistically ponders
their good fortune before a scout’s allegations of age-fraud brings down the ire of
professional baseball’s investigative unit and unforeseen consequences.
JUAN CARLOS BATISTA
16, is a young shortstop who left home at age 13 to practice with a renowned baseball
trainer Astín Jacobo in the wake of his father’s death. Three years later, Astín calls Jean
Carlos his adopted son, and has turned him into one of the island’s elite prospects.
Together, they navigate the business side of the Dominican baseball system in search of
the highest signing bonus. But as offers arrive, Jean Carlos’ overconfidence and the
revelation of a secret kept from him by his parents may endanger his promising career, as
well as jeopardize his relationship with the man he considers his father.
ASTÍN JACOBO JR.
Jean Carlos Batista’s trainer and coach. The son of one of the first professional baseball
scouts in the Dominican Republic, his family has been developing the island’s baseball
talent for decades. Over the past ten years his program has become a well-known
breeding ground for some of the country’s top prospects. After signing more than 70
young players to professional teams, Astín prides himself on providing the clubs with
quality and most importantly, scandal-free prospects. As a result, he has emerged to be
one of the most influential and successful trainers in the country. A leading figure in a
wave of Dominican trainers whose business savvy has contributed to the country’s rising
signing bonuses, Astín’s solid gold reputation with professional teams is both his greatest
asset, and what he absolutely can’t afford to lose.
VASILIO “MORENO” TEJEDA
Miguel Angel Sanó’s trainer and coach. After working with Miguel Angel since he was 13
years old, Moreno has virtually become a member of the young prospect’s family.
Responsible in part for training Robinson Cano, Moreno has been working with young
Dominican talent for over a decade. However, in his eyes, no one he’s ever worked with
has been as gifted as Miguel Angel. Moreover, “Moreno” is on track to receive 30% of the
prospect’s potentially record-breaking multi-million dollar signing bonus, and his future
is inextricably tied to the young shortstop’s success.
CREW INFO
JOHN LEGUIZAMO (Narrator)
One of the most prolific writers/performers of his generation. He has won numerous
honors and accolades for his one-man shows MAMBO MOUTH, SPIC-O-RAMA, FREAK,
SEXAHOLIX…A LOVE STORY, GHETTO KLOWN and has appeared in countless films
including MOULIN ROUGE, LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA, CARLITO’S WAY and
ICE AGE.
GUAGUA PRODUCTIONS (Directors)
Founded in 2008 by Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jon Paley. Together, along with unit
director Casey Beck, they spent over a year in the Dominican Republic filming
PELOTERO. Currently located in New York, they also produce, direct and shoot short
films, commercials, and just about anything else you can point a lens at.
MAKURHARI MEDIA (Executive Producers)
Formed by Bobby Valentine and Andrew J. Muscato in 2010 following their partnership
on ESPN Films’ THE ZEN OF BOBBY V. PELOTERO is the first in a slate of characterdriven sports documentaries that the company is producing.
ISAAC SOLOTAROFF (Producer)
Twice Emmy-nominated documentary director, producer and editor. He has directed
four PBS documentaries since 2000 (VISIONING TIBET, LOS ROMEROS and BELIEF
AMENDED, FAITH REVEALED) and WHAM! BAM! ISLAM! which debuted on
Independent Lens.
MARY MANHARDT (Editor)
Emmy-award winning documentary film editor and consultant in New York City. Her
work has won awards in major festivals, including Sundance, Hot Docs, SXSW,
SilverDocs, Tribeca and IDFA, and aired on HBO, PBS, MTV, ABC, A&E and AMC.
Among the films she has edited or coedited are: THE FARM, THE EXECUTION OF
WANDA JEAN, GIRLHOOD, FARMINGVILLE, STREET FIGHT, AMERICAN TEEN,
RACING DREAMS, MYSTIC BALL, A SON’S SACRIFICE, BRONX PRINCESS, CAMP
VICTORY, AFGHANISTAN and MONICA & DAVID.
CAST
MIGUEL ANGEL SANÓ
JEAN CARLOS BATISTA
ASTÍN JACOBO JR.
VASILIO “MORENO” TEJEDA
Himself
Himself
Himself
Himself
CREW
Directed and Written by
Producer
Executive Producers
Editors
Narrator
Director of Photography
First Unit Director
Consulting Producer
Additional Camera
Story
Additional Editing
Motion Graphics Artist
Music Supervision
Supervising Sound Editor & Re-Recording
Mixer
Sound Editor
Ross Finkel
Jon Paley
Trevor Martin
Isaac Solotaroff
Andrew J. Muscato
Bobby Valentine
Robert Castrignano
Douglas Lorentz
Robert Musumeci
Mary Manhardt
Isaac Solotaroff
John Leguizamo
Ross Finkel
Casey Beck
Daniel Novack
Trevor Martin
Jon Paley
Casey Beck
Sean Mattison
Julian Roberts
Josh Wolf
Jon Paley
Eugene Weis
Michelle Enemark
Eileen O’Neill (Modiba Productions, LLC)
Benny Mouthon, CAS
Brian Bracken