MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- There's a Tennessee connection to Sunday night’s Oscars. A documentary shot in Memphis won in the "Best Documentary Feature" category.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal says the inspirational football film “Undefeated” fairly accurately portrays the real-life experiences of Memphis businessman Bill Cortney as he leads the inner city Manassas High School football team to a winning season in 2009 and 10.
The film is also a hit with critics. It has an 83 percent favorable rating on the review site RottenTomatoes.com.
CNN film critic Claudia Puig says of the film, “Undefeated chronicles a championship season but covers turf that extends miles beyond the football field,” highlighting the fact that the documentary has as much to do with how the players overcome poverty, violence and shattered families as it does about sports.
The movie will start its theatrical run Friday in Memphis.