Indie Sports Drama "Streetballers" Scores Big at the Mann Chinese 6

Online, October 6, 2009 (Newswire.com) - (SAINT LOUIS, MO) - The numbers are in and the critically acclaimed independent feature, Streetballers, debuted at the number 14th spot (out of 137) in the latest weekly box office, grossing $6,123.75 dollars during its Los Angeles' premiere week at the Mann Chinese 6 Theatre. The film landed alongside Disney's epic feature, Surrogates and IFC comedy Paris making it the 14th highest per-screen average in the nation, joining top ranks alongside the Lebron James' inspired basketball documentary More Than A Game. The independent motion picture has grossed over $30,000 to date with limited screenings in Los Angeles and Saint Louis. In a David vs. Goliath fashion, Streetballers continues to battle forward, one city at a time, gaining national attention for their new independent distribution model.
Streetballers, a sports inspired drama, can attribute much of its success to the compelling storyline that sheds light on the struggles athletes endure while off the court. In a city that is divided racially, financially and ethically, two junior college athletes must help each other on and off the court in order to change their destiny. In the face of violence, drugs and dysfunctional households, both players realize that the only way "out", is by getting "in" on a college degree - a universal theme that director Matthew Scott Krentz pushes to all young aspiring artist and athletes.
"When I set out to make this film and met with a number of interested studios about the script, they laughed at the idea of this young kid, who graduated with a business degree and never went to film school, wanting to direct, produce and co-star in his first feature film," says Krentz. "They told me it would be impossible to produce an independent sports themed film for less than five million dollars. I thanked them for their time, moved back to Saint Louis, and took everything I learned from college and my years of on-set experience working for the Sundance Institute, wrote a business plan, shot a trailer, and raised the money independently to shoot the film. Six years later we're making our West Coast theatrical premiere at the Mann Chinese Theatre, we have six distributors wanting to distribute the film, our own self-distribution center at www.streetballersthemovie.com and are now eligible for consideration at the Academy and Independent Spirit Awards."
"It's rare for a locally made independent film to screen for paying customers and even rarer for it to screen at more than one venue," states Joe Williams of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "But the basketball flick, Streetballers is an honorable exception, a home-grown product that deserves a national rollout."
The rest of the nation is demanding a national rollout with the independent film. With screenings coming to New York, Kansas City, Dallas, Miami, and Atlanta by the end of November, a hybrid distribution platform and Greedy Genius shoe in the works, Streetballers is built to challenge and defeat any of its competitors. For more information, please visit: www.streetballersthemovie.com.

ABOUT MSK PRODUCTIONS
Founded in October 2000 and headquartered in Saint Louis, MO, Matthew Scott Krentz (MSK) Productions is a development, distribution and production company infusing the cultures through traditional and non-traditional media platforms. With a philosophy that insists on producing quality and thought provoking films, MSK Productions is filling the void for equal representation in cinema. The production powerhouse has received numerous awards for Streetballers including "Best Cinematography", "Grand Jury Award", "Best Dramatic Feature", and an "Audience Choice Award."