July 23, 2018, Chapel Hill, NC – The inaugural FILM FEST 919 has announced that former University of North Carolina basketball great, Phil Ford, is throwing his support behind the festival as the FF919 Community Ambassador.
A shining star for the UNC Tar Heels, Ford is a North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame inductee and held the record as the school’s all-time leading scorer for more than 30 years. In 1976, Ford was an Olympic Gold Medalist, starting at point guard for Team USA. He was a three-time All-American at UNC and the 1978 ACC player of the Year. Ford followed his college career as a first-round NBA draft choice and earned Rookie of the Year honors with the then Kansas City Kings. He is still considered one of the most popular athletes in the history of the Tar Heel State. Since retiring from the NBA, Ford has established himself as a leader in local business and philanthropy including creating an eponymous foundation, which battles childhood obesity.
Ford’s children’s book, THE KID WHO COULDN’T DUNK, is an inspirational story about doing the best you can with your God-given skills.
“I have always been a movie buff and getting involved with Film Fest 919 allows me to share my love of the movies with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and all my friends at the University of North Carolina,” Ford says. “With its backing and leadership, Film Fest 919 has a chance to become one of the finest film festivals in the country. I am excited to be involved.”
“Phil Ford is an exemplary member of the Triangle area community and through his hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence, any team he’s on is the winning team,” says Randi Emerman, Film Fest 919 Founder and CEO. “Film Fest 919 shares his vision of spotlighting the best of our local community and we are proud to have his support.”
Film Fest 919 kicked off with a preview event last fall featuring a special screening of Academy Award-nominated Film, “The Florida Project,” followed by a Conversation With… producer and co-writer Chris Bergoch. The inaugural FF919 will premiere October 3-7, 2018 at Silverspot Cinema at University Place in Chapel Hill.
More About Film Fest 919
Introducing a new adventure in the arts, networking, tourism and worldwide awareness. FILM FEST 919 will present a five-day event, Wednesday, October 3 through Sunday, October 7, 2018, celebrating the finest in feature films and cultural indulgences in Chapel Hill, NC, a vibrant community who shares discerning tastes, as well as a passion for the arts and global issues. A collaboration among established film-industry veterans, Randi Emerman (a Chapel Hill local), Carol Marshall and Claudia Puig, Film Fest 919 promises to be a one-of-a-kind event the Chapel Hill community will be proud to call its own. The festival will take place at Silverspot Cinema at University Place. www.filmfest919.com
About Phil Ford
Phil Jackson Ford Jr. was born February 9, 1956 in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the son of two school teachers, Mrs. Mabel Ford and Mr. Phil Ford Sr. Both of his parents were instructors in the North Carolina Public School system. Ford grew up in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and attended Rocky Mount Senior High School, where he was a prep All-American before enrolling in the University of North Carolina with a full athletic scholarship under Hall of Fame Coach Dean Smith. Ford was Smith’s first freshman player to start a game and finished with a brilliant season, leading the Tar Heels to the 1975 ACC Tournament championship and named the first freshman in league history to win the Everett Case Award as the Most Valuable Player in the ACC Tournament. After his sophomore season, he went on to earn a gold medal in the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, where Team USA included five other Tar Heels – Walter Davis, Mitch Kupchak, Tom LaGarde, assistant coach Bill Guthridge and, of course, Smith. As a senior, Ford also won the prestigious Wooden Award as National Player of the Year, averaging more than 20 points per game. At one point, Ford led as both all-time leading scorer at UNC with 2,290 points and assists, with just over 750. He was the second overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, selected by the Kansas City Kings. Ford continued to shine at the professional level, gaining the Rookie of the Year award in 1979. Ford retired from the NBA in 1985 and shortly after, began a career in banking with North Carolina National Bank before embarking a career in coaching at UNC, where he served as an assistant to Smith for 12 seasons. Ford is a member of the Saint John’s Missionary Baptist Church in Raleigh and founded the Phil Ford Foundation which fights premature obesity. For more information on Phil Ford, go to www.philfordbasketball.com.
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