Serena and Venus Williams, Westbrook Studios Board 1971 Girls’s World Cup Documentary About Historic Soccer Match (EXCLUSIVE)

Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios have boarded the characteristic documentary “COPA 71,” concerning the 1971 Girls’s World Cup of soccer.

The Williams sisters will function govt producers on the movie, which is a Dogwoof and New Black Movies co-production. The venture is govt produced and backed by Westbrook.

At the moment in manufacturing and promising never-before-seen archival footage, “COPA 71” tells the story of the 1971 Girls’s World Cup, which noticed soccer groups from all around the world collect in Mexico Metropolis’s Azteca Stadium to compete in entrance of greater than 100,000 spectators. It was the final ladies’s World Cup till the official FIFA occasion 20 years later. Dismissed by each FIFA and home soccer associations world wide, the occasion was written out of historical past — till now.

Along with her legendary profession as one of many biggest and most adorned tennis gamers of all time, Serena Williams can also be one of many backers for the ladies majority-owned Los Angeles feminine skilled soccer workforce, Angel Metropolis FC.

“’Copa 71’ tells the story of one of the inspirational and important moments in ladies’s sports activities historical past,” stated Serena Williams. “It’s an honor to accomplice with my sisters and Westbrook Studios to assist carry this magical story to mild, which has been buried for a lot too lengthy.”

Venus Williams added: “After I heard concerning the 1971 Girls’s World Cup, I couldn’t consider this unimaginable story was erased from our historical past books. I’m excited to workforce with my sisters and Westbrook Studios to assist elevate and empower fellow feminine athletes and their accomplishments, and to ensure these ladies have their voices heard by this inspiring documentary.”

The movie slots right into a burgeoning documentary slate from Westbrook, the studio arrange by Smith and Pinkett Smith in 2019. Final summer season, Westbrook Studios introduced its first characteristic documentary, which chronicles the Full Circle expedition — the primary all-Black climbing workforce to summit Mount Everest — as they shift the legacy within the traditionally white-dominated sport. On the collection aspect, Westbrook Studios can also be behind the forthcoming Netflix docuseries “African Queens.”

“COPA 71” is co-directed by James Erskine (“Billie”) and first-timer Rachel Ramsay. Victoria Gregory (“Battle of the Sexes”) will produce on behalf of New Black Movies alongside Westbrook Studios’ Jannat Gargi (“Summer time of Soul”) and Dogwoof’s Anna Godas (“Citizen Ashe”). Government producers embody Alex Holmes on behalf of New Black Movies, Jon Mone on behalf of Westbrook Studios and Isha Worth.

London-based documentary specialists Dogwoof work throughout manufacturing, gross sales, and U.Okay. theatrical distribution. The corporate has to this point launched 28 Oscar-nominated documentaries, with 4 wins and a further three BAFTA winners. New Black Movies, which can also be primarily based in London, specializes within the tales of history-changers within the sport and efficiency area.