‘Finding Tony’ brings women’s basketball to the big screen

is an independent designation of the foil Raven Magwood Goodson directorial debut, with NBA star Anthony Davis serving as executive producer. The film tells the story of a widowed NBA player named Tony who, after significant difficulties, sets out on a journey to rediscover himself. As Tony navigates his emotional and psychological struggles, including grief and alcoholism, the film delves into themes of loss, self-discovery and resilience, offering a moving examination of a person’s attempt to rebuild his life after facing profound adversity.

“Tony was angry about some things and was dealing with a lot of sadness. Unfortunately, sometimes life and art go on in parallel,” says Actor Stefan Bishop, who plays Tony in the film. “At the time, I was going through a small period in my life that allowed me to let Tony know some of my own emotions. I think it was a really good opportunity to be a sort of catharsis for me.”

While mourning, Tony falls into depression and alcoholism after the brutal murder of his wife. After being arrested for DUI, he reluctantly begins coaching a junior college women’s basketball team. It begins with a difficult challenge, especially when he meets Destiny (Raquel Justice), an orphaned basketball star with a powerful attitude. Despite their conflicting personalities, they teach one another beneficial lessons and help one another find their purpose.

“I think coaching the women’s team influenced Tony’s character development. I think it softened him and allowed him to stop running away from his emotions, as David would say, being a recluse and trying to deal with it all alone in his lonely and dark space. They allowed him, helped him and encouraged him to come out,” Bishop said.

Bishop explains that it’s difficult to be emotionally vulnerable when you’re a frontrunner amongst men. He went on to share that the ladies broke Tony down a bit and showed him that it’s okay to be vulnerable. This helped him improve and made him stronger overall. It’s necessary not to confuse weakness with vulnerability, because having the courage to wear your heart in your sleeve is one among the most vital things an individual can do.

was a labor of affection for everybody involved. The independent film was shot in only 17 days, which is incredible once you take a look at what appeared on screen. While there have been days when the solid and crew doubted their ability to complete the film, they did and everybody worked together, pooling resources and knowledge to get the job done.

“I just want to see an individual like Raven and someone like SB [Stephen Bishop] and I come together using resources that other people have and watch the magic occur because though our people watch the movie and know we’ve got a limited budget, they judge it anyway. “I can’t wait for the day when we are free and the only thing we have to worry about is being creative,” she said David Baner as Doctor Daniel