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Logline

A young girl with an intellectual disability sets her sights on joining her local rec basketball team. When she begins training with a former high school basketball star haunted by personal loss, an unexpected bond forms, giving them both a shot at redemption.

Synopsis

Based on the award-winning short, Taylor, a fourteen-year-old from New Jersey has a dream. She wants to make her local basketball team. Taylor also has Williams syndrome, an intellectual and developmental disability that causes both cognitive and physical challenges, such as balance and coordination. She practices every waking moment to be the best basketball player she can be, but no adult gives her an opportunity to play.

After a family tragedy she feels responsible for, Jayla, a former high school basketball standout, has fallen on tough times. She’s quit basketball, moved away from family, and refuses to work through her emotional trauma. When her work placement program assigns her a job at a local recreation center, she meets Taylor.

Taylor, using her gift of friendliness, an innate ability that comes along with Williams syndrome, convinces Jayla to coach her and help improve her basketball skills. Jayla helps Taylor train for the last youth basketball game of the season at the local rec center, while Taylor shows Jayla how to love and feel again. Together, Jayla has a second chance at family, and Taylor has an opportunity to prove you can do anything in life, regardless of what others think is possible.

Meet the Filmmakers

Christopher Baxter – Writer/Director
Christopher is a writer/director originally from New Hampshire, now living in Los Angeles. After graduating from the film program at San Diego State University, Chris directed his first feature film, Unlawful Justice, which won multiple awards on the festival circuit. Previously a development executive, he now works in distribution and marketing. He has helped over forty independent films find distribution and market their movies, including a handful featuring filmmakers and actors with disabilities.

He recently filmed the award winning proof of concept short film, I Got Next, where he created a job-shadowing program for people who are neurodivergent and interested in the film industry, which will be reprised on the feature.

Andrew Pilkington – Producer
Andrew is a producer/writer living in Boston. He has worked for award-winning directors such as Alex Gibney and Morgan Spurlock. He produced Best Summer Ever; a feature musical starring actors with disabilities. It was selected into the SXSW Film Festival 2020 and is now streaming on Hulu. He recently produced a documentary on the Special Olympics alongside Robin Roberts and Lebron James. Andrew serves on the Reel Abilities Film Festival advisory council and consults for Google, Microsoft, and Disney.

Angel Williams – Producer
Angel is a U.S. Army veteran, award-winning writer and producer, and co-founder of Soldier Up Productions, where she develops bold, inclusive stories for film and television. Her work is rooted in amplifying underrepresented voices and creating emotionally resonant content that challenges perspectives and moves culture forward.

Her original scripts, Stone Fate and Conversations with Mom, have been recognized on Coverfly’s Red List and as ScreenCraft Film Fund semifinalists. She co-wrote and produced the PBS-acclaimed docuseries Renegades, which spotlights trailblazers with disabilities, and has produced projects ranging from independent films to studio-caliber productions, including I Got Next and The Taking of Courtroom One, Two, Three (in partnership with MACRO). She also served as script supervisor on Brand New, now streaming on ALLBLK.

Beyond her creative work, Angel is a dedicated industry leader, serving as Board Chair of Women in Film & Media Colorado (WIFMCO) and Member-At-Large of Women in Film & Television US (WIFT US), where she champions equity, access, and opportunity for women in entertainment.

With a strong production track record and a mission-driven approach, Angel continues to shape impactful stories that inspire, empower, and elevate diverse voices.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.