This has the potential to be a seminal film. That’s if people dig it, and I think they will. This is a film with a universal message. People who are 12 and people who are...

She’s on every page of the script, so the actress had to be strong and incredible. She displayed such a depth of understanding about the character that I knew we had the right kid.

I’ve been spoiled. We didn’t have a lot of money but creatively, they were great. When I came into the meeting after the first screening I had ten times more notes than they had.

It was unbelievably difficult to get it made. Studios are extremely allergic to risk. Finally, after a long courtship, Lions Gate Films agreed to make the film. They liked the idea of a sports movie...

I wanted to tell a ‘Rocky’-type story about a girl from the inner city who had the ability, talent and intelligence to do this but didn’t have the support or the resources or the belief...

I’ve already seen the effect the film has on young people, especially girls. We were at the Pan-American Film Festival in Los Angeles, and one girl told me, ‘This movie makes me feel like I...