Wednesday Dec 29, 2021
The Cannons / Film School Radio interview with Co-directors Steven Hoffner & AJ Messier
THE CANNONS is an immersive feature documentary following the day-to-day lives of Coach Neal Henderson and his team of young African American hockey players in the longest serving minority hockey program in North America, the Fort Dupont Hockey Cannons in Washington DC. The goal of the Cannons is to provide educational purpose and teach young people discipline, via sports activities, to establish self-esteem, a sense of purpose, and to offer an incentive to excel academically. THE CANNONS chronicles one pivotal hockey season, following the lives of two Black teenage hockey players and one legendary coach, in one of America’s toughest neighborhoods: Southeast, Washington DC. Part coming of age story, part social-political commentary on the Black American experience, the film chronicles the Fort Dupont Cannons, one of America's only predominately Black hockey teams, as they must overcome the challenges of life on and off the ice. THE CANNONS is a story about hope; the power of sport; and the pursuit of the American Dream. Co-directors Steven Hoffner and AJ Messier join us for a conversation on the different paths that led them into the lives of Neal Henderson and the remarkable extended family of Cannons’ players, parents, supporters and alums. For news and screenings go to: thecannonsdocumentary.com