HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! It's Our Ball, directed by David Morrison and written by Judy Marcelline, follows a group of senior women who have found community, identity, and joy through their shared love of basketball. Through interviews with players such as Johanna Fontenot, Suzanne Patterson, and Louise Smith, the documentary reveals how the sport has been a steady force in their lives. For some, basketball was a childhood dream denied because it was a man's game, while for others, it became a vital lifeline during personal struggles such as divorce or isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Louise Smith, from Los Angeles, recalls wanting to follow in her brother's footsteps and become the first woman to earn an athletic scholarship to Stanford. Suzanne Patterson admits she struggled with the game in high school but grew into a formidable force while navigating a difficult divorce. Johanna Fontenot, determined to keep playing, even built a basketball court in her backyard during lockdown. Many of the women speak about the persistence it took to find or create spaces where they could play, despite a culture that often discouraged them.
"They credit the game with making them better adults and better people..."
It's Our Ball captures the women in action during their regular Sunday pickup games, highlighting the physical benefits and emotional rewards of the sport. For them, basketball is more than exercise -- it's a place to be seen, to compete, and to connect. They credit the game with making them better adults and better people, proving that passion for play knows no age limit.
Director David Morrison pieces together an exciting and inspirational documentary combining his interviews with personal photos and video and a kick-a*s soundtrack.
In the end, It's Our Ball will put any couch-surfing males and armchair sports fanatics in place, seeing a bunch of women taking control of their physical destiny.