Against the odds, the 13 Founding Members established a lasting and global sporting legacy
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 3, 2017 – "The Founders" film, an inspiring story for the ages which documents the creation of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1950 by 13 remarkable female golfers, is finally set for public release in cinemas nationwide later this month.
With the support of the LPGA, Mighty Fine Pictures in Atlanta has joined up with Level 33 Entertainment and GATHR Films to transfer this award-winning documentary from the festival circuit to the big screen.
Since its debut last year, "The Founders" has enchanted audiences across the globe with the story of how 13 women battled society, prejudice and preconception to play professional golf and create a lasting and global sporting legacy.
The 13 Founding Members "were not supposed to be athletes, they were not supposed to get paid to play, they were not supposed to call the shots," the filmmakers said in a press release for "The Founders" when it was first launched as a documentary.
And yet with humor, grit and an abundance of raw talent, these underdogs “did it all” as they planned and organized golf tournaments, competed against one another, drafted the by-laws, supervised membership, set up courses and did much, much more.
While barnstorming the country in a caravan of automobiles, “they staged tournaments in small, far-flung towns that questioned whether female golfers were even worth watching. Together, they logged thousands of miles a week just for the opportunity to tee off on courses they also had to groom.”
This film, directed by Charlene Fisk and Carrie Schrader, is not just for those who frequent the golf course. It is for anyone who believes in the transformative power of defying the odds. Through rare, archival footage, historical re-enactments and interviews with the surviving Founding Members and some of the best players of the modern era, the story of these trailblazers is told in a feature-length documentary.
Among the legendary athletes featured in the film are Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Babe Zaharias, while Arnold Palmer and Billie Jean King make brief special appearances.
“I am extremely excited that the Founders Film is finished and this story is finally being told!” said Australian Webb, a seven-time major championship winner who helped fund “The Founders” film project and is an executive producer.
“I thank Charlie (Fisk) and her film-making team for their perseverance and I love and share the passion of these 13 amazing women. All past, present and future LPGA players, women golfers, and all women athletes should thank them and appreciate all they have done for women's golf and women's sport. I am extremely proud and sincerely honored to be a part of this film."
To find a screening near you, stay updated on distribution news, or learn how to bring The Founders to your local theater, visithttp://www.thefoundersfilm.com/screenings/. You can also follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Thefoundersfilm.
The 13 Founding Members of the LPGA are: Alice Bauer, Patty Berg, Bettye Danoff, Helen Dettweiler, Marlene Bauer Hagge, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Betty Jameson, Sally Sessions, Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork, Louise Suggs and Babe Zaharias.
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