Unique fan-based basketball film by filmmaker Jason Rem available On Demand
HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 13, 2013) – The highly-anticipated Duke-University of North Carolina basketball rivalry documentary has been released and is available On Demand. The 94-minute “Duke-Carolina: The Blue Blood Rivalry” is a unique look at “the greatest rivalry in sports,” by filmmaker Jason Rem and REM Entertainment in partnership with Greatest Fan Films. Rem uses a unique story-telling device to bring this incredible rivalry and its compelling stories to the public.
Guaranteed to collide on the hardwoods at least twice a year, the Duke-UNC history is unmatched. This historic ‘Blue Blood Rivalry’ has featured Mike Krzyzewski, the coach with the most wins in NCAA Division I basketball history, and Dean Smith, the fourth-winningest coach, as well as players Michael Jordan and Grant Hill, 33 Final Four appearances and nine NCAA Championship teams between them. Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, a UNC alum, said: “There are only two games that matter, the North Carolina game at Duke and the Duke game at North Carolina.”
Unlike other Duke-Carolina documentaries, this film focuses on the communities and people who are deeply faithful and divided by their allegiance to one school or the other. Rem, an award-winning filmmaker who produced, directed and wrote the film, created a unique fan-based perspective, ticking-clock style and game-day theme to make viewers feel as if they are in Durham or Chapel Hill the day of the big game. “It was a challenge to tell such a rich and complicated story in a fun and compelling way, but along with a team of amazing individuals in Chapel Hill, Durham and Los Angeles, we were able to bring this fantastic story to life.”
The film captures the essence of the game-day experience from the perspective of basketball fans, players and coaches from each university. Viewers will enjoy never before seen interviews with hall of fame coaches Krzyzewski and Roy Williams, as well as current and former Duke and Carolina greats Phil Ford, Jay Bilas, Eric Montross, Chris Duhon, Antawn Jamison, Seth Curry, P.J. Hairston and many more. The film features interviews with notable basketball announcers such as Dick Vitale, Dan Schulman, Tim Brando and Erin Andrews as well as famous alumni like comedian Lewis Black (UNC) and recording artist Mike Posner (Duke). In all, Rem said they conducted more than 100 interviews to tell their story.
“Hassan Pinto and Greatest Fan Films added great value to the project, taking care do the funding and many of the critical production needs,” Rem said. “We were also lucky to have Sports Emmy winning editor Erik McMichael and executive producer Meleata Pinto on board. Hassan asked me to do a shoot for Art Chansky’s Duke-Carolina, The Blue Blood Rivalry eBook Series and I was inspired to create the film after that. With Greatest Fan’s connections to community, universities and athletic departments, along with Gil Fitts’ Pivot Point Media and Chansky’s deep knowledge of the games and contacts in the local area, we were off and running.”
Rem, a San Diego State graduate, has no allegiance to either school but he understood the importance of balance. “We made sure both universities were served properly,” he said. “And we treated both schools in the highest regard.” Most of the interviews in the documentary were shot around the two UNC-Duke game days in 2012. But even though the structure of the documentary is built around those games, Rem said there’s a timelessness to the story because participants shared memories from their favorite Duke-UNC games going back to the 1960s. “We wanted to make the audience feel like they were there on game day for any rivalry game that has happened,” Distributed by Image Entertainment, Duke-Carolina is available on cable On Demand on Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, Metrocast, RCN, Clearleap and other providers and on iTunes.
ABOUT REM ENTERTAINMENT
REM Entertainment, is managed by veteran producer and director, Jason Rem. Rem is an independent documentary filmmaker who has also produced programming for ESPN, Fox Sports, Versus, Sony, Nike and more. All of Rem’s series for ESPN and Fox Sports have been nominated for Sports Emmys and he is an award-winning independent documentary producer, director and writer. Rem has produced programming at the biggest sporting events in the world including the Olympics, Masters, World Series, Kentucky Derby and five Super Bowls. His most recent films have ranged from a touching look at the difficulties of Rett Syndrome to the famous Duke and North Carolina Universities’ basketball rivalry.
PRESS CONTACT: Noah Gold, Brian Robin, Staci Brener, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 818-462-5604, 5610, 5606