Summer League Film Festival Backed by Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Garnett’s Studios Celebrates Storytelling and Unveils 2025 Winners
From the court to the big screen — storytelling takes center stage at the Summer League Film Festival
The 2025 Summer League Film Festival (SLFF) returned to Las Vegas, building on its debut season to deliver a jampacked celebration of storytelling, culture, and basketball. The festival, backed by the production companies of Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Garnett, continues to elevate the intersection of sports and cinema. Over three dynamic days, SLFF screened 34 films and welcomed filmmakers, athletes, media, and entertainment industry power players to experience the intersection of sports and cinema.
From red carpet moments to courtside views, SLFF delivered a premier experience. On the first day alone, the festival showcased 11 film previews, each followed by in-depth Q&A sessions moderated by Turner’s Matt Winer. Later that evening, the festival hosted the debut of Tony Allen: The Grindfather, a powerful documentary directed by Michael Blevins, with an electric premiere at Zouk Nightclub.
Day two featured SLFF Co-Founder Kevin Garnett welcoming AJ Dybantsa, the top-ranked prospect in the 2025 college basketball recruiting class, along with sneak peeks from projects by Al Attles III, the Brown Ballers team, Bitcoin, and Deon Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group. The third and final day featured ten curated short films and three full-length documentary screenings, including the emotional U.S. premiere of DRAŽEN. The grand finale was a packed-house screening of Kings of Vegas, hosted by Eric Newman with a panel that included UNLV legends and industry professionals.
To cap off the weekend, SLFF held an invite-only Wrap Party in the Hardwood Suite at The Palms, celebrating filmmakers, industry leaders, and special guests.
Hollywood Reporter Highlights the Winners
Hollywood Reporter featured the 2025 Summer League Film Festival, noting that “the festival crowned the best in sports storytelling across documentary, narrative, and social impact categories, showcasing the work of athletes, filmmakers, and storytellers from around the world.”
This year’s 2025 SLFF award winners include:
- Best Documentary Feature: Tony Allen: The Grindfather
- Game Changer Awards: Hoops of Heritage; Three Point Revolution
- Best Documentary Short: Dialing Scottie
- Best Narrative Feature: DRAŽEN
- Best Narrative Short: Groupies
- Prestige Audience Award: Kings of Vegas
- Social Impact Awards: Pros and Cons; A Time to Yell: More Than a Statue
Click the link below to read the full Hollywood Reporter article and view all 2025 winners: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/summer-league-film-festival-2025-winners-mark-wahlberg-1236379920/
For more details and updates on future events, visit vegassummerleagueevents.com.
Media Contact:
Albert Hall
NBA Summer League
AHall@Hallpassnetwork.com
