Her Best Move on DVD 17th October 2006


Her Best Move (2006)

HER BEST MOVE, NEW ROMANTIC TEEN DRAMEDY SET AGAINST A BACKDROP OF HIGH-STAKES SOCCER, LAUNCHES ON DVD OCTOBER 17, 2006 AT WWW.HERBESTMOVE.COM

Summertime Films announced today the studio-direct release of its new film, Her Best Move, a lively teen dramedy about a high school soccer phenom who must deal with the conflicting interests of parents, boyfriend, school—and her shot at being the youngest player on the women’s national soccer team. Scheduled for release October 17, consumers can place orders beginning October 2 exclusively at www.HerBestMove.com. It has a list price of $24.95 and runs 102 minutes.

The film stars rising young actress Leah Pipes (Bones) as the aspiring soccer star, Sara Davis; Gilmore Girls romantic lead Scott Patterson as Sara’s über-soccer-coach father; and Lisa Darr Ellen as Sara’s level-headed, nurturing mother. The talented roster of young actors includes Drew Tyler Bell (The Bold and the Beautiful) as the high school photographer who becomes Sara’s first boyfriend; Lalaine (Lizzie McGuire) as Sara’s brassy, colorful
best friend, Tutti; Jhoanna Flores (Gotta Kick It Up) as Sara’s soccer team mate and rival; and Spy Kids star Daryl Sabara as the comically overconfident freshman with a major crush on Sara.
“I was so thrilled to get the part of Sara because I was able to combine my two passions: acting and soccer,” says Pipes. “It really was a dream experience—I was playing a character I both like and relate to, I got to play soccer with World Cup and Olympic stars, and I had the opportunity to work with fun, talented young actors like Drew, Lalaine and Daryl. We had a blast!”

Her Best Move (2006)“When I met Norm and his team in Los Angeles, I could tell that that they had created this project out of a sheer passion for the game and a need to tell an intimate story of how a young girl comes to terms with a shattered dream,” says Patterson. “It is a story of courage told by courageous filmmakers—and a film we can all learn from and be proud of."
Soccer legend Brandi Chastain—whose game-winning penalty kick in the 1999 Women’s World Cup (and her
exuberant jersey-waving afterwards) will go down in the annals of soccer history—appears as herself in a key scene in the film.
“I’ve had a number of offers to appear in soccer-related films, but this one was particularly special to me because of its message,” says Chastain. “I loved the film’s emphasis on empowering a young woman to make her own choices about her life, so I jumped at the chance to play a role—even if it’s as myself!”

Rated G by the MPAA, Her Best Move has also been awarded the Dove “Family-Approved” Seal by the Dove
Foundation, which encourages and promotes the creation and distribution of entertainment that family members can enjoy together with confidence. The Dove Family Approved Seal is awarded to movies that portray and encourage positive values.

An Action-filled Romantic Comedy-Drama: The Story of Her Best Move
High school is crazy enough, but for 15-year-old Sara Davis (Leah Pipes) it’s about to get even crazier. A national caliber soccer prospect, Sara dances through her opponents to make impossible shots on goal—skills honed by her father, Gil (Scott Patterson), a women's soccer coach. But this success has come with a price: Sara has sacrificed her interest in dance, photography and of course, boys. Sara's mother, Julia (Lisa Darr), struggles with Gil's drive to perfect Sara as she guides her daughter through the trials of adolescence.
Encouraged by her best friend, Tutti (Lalaine), to jump-start her life outside soccer, Sara makes up for lost time. From hi-jinks in the chemistry lab to a budding relationship with Josh (Drew Tyler Bell), the cute but shy photographer on the school newspaper, Sara learns more about herself each day. And while she relishes her freedom on the soccer field, Sara’s renewed connection with her mother leads her to question the athletic path that Gil has set out for her.
When Gil learns that Sara has a shot at becoming the youngest player ever on the U.S. National Development Team,
he pushes even harder. Sara’s hopes of performing in the dance recital and exploring her relationship with Josh are shoved aside. With National Team scouts watching every shot, Sara faces the challenge of discovering her true self, so she can make the best move of her life.

Great Moves in the Making of the Film
As a former soccer player and coach, filmmaker Norm Hunter drew on his experience with teenage athletes as the seed for this movie. His first call was to co-writer Tony Vidal, an accomplished screenwriter, Hollywood story executive and UC Davis screenwriting professor, to join him in writing the script.
Cinematographer Paul Ryan (A River Runs Through It, The Horse Whisperer) and editor Mitch Stanley (Jarhead) captured the many moods and tempos of the film—from the athleticism and excitement of world-class soccer to the tender moments between two teenagers tentatively discovering a first love. Supervising sound editor Bruce Lacey (Star Wars) and a gifted team at Skywalker Sound bring crystal-clear resolution to the sounds of shrieking soccer
fans—and the distinctive rhythms of teenage “girl-speak.”
The onscreen action is enhanced by an outstanding soundtrack that complements the mood and events in each scene. Veteran Hollywood music supervisor Elliot Lurie (Spanglish) selected a range of contemporary and classic songs from Hilary Duff, Howie Day, The Bangles and The Romantics—and hot young Irish songwriter Eoin Harrington (who has opened for Alanis Morrissette) wrote an original song, “What If” for a critical scene in the film.
Filming on Her Best Move spanned 32 days in the San Francisco Bay Area, primarily in Marin County.

About Summertime Films
Her Best Move was produced and directed by Norm Hunter, whose Summertime Films production company
specializes in youth-oriented films featuring captivating stories, engaging characters—and enough spirit, humor and intelligence to entertain audiences from 7 to 70. Summertime Films currently has seven film projects in various stages of development.