The Heart of the Game (DVD)

The Heart of the Game (2005). Documentary telling the story of a gifted young black female basketball player who attends a predominantly white high school because her mother thinks she'll have better academic opportunities there. Shot in a suburban Seattle high school over a seven-year period, director Ward Serrill's documentary explores the relationships among gender, race and organized sports. Young Darnellia Russell, the talented young player, becomes the focus of the documentary as her life outside of school and basketball begins to get complicated. Grade: B+