An Academy Award win for a Halifax director.
Ben Proudfoot’s film ‘The Queen of Basketball’ claimed the Oscar for best documentary on Monday night.
“If there is anyone out there that still doubts whether there’s an audience for female athletes, let this Academy Award be the answer,” Proudfoot announced to a cheering crowd during his acceptance speech.
Short docs that had also received nods in the category include Audible, Lead Me Home, Three Songs for Benazir, and When We Were Bullies.
Many Nova Scotians were quick to give a shoutout online for Proudfoot’s win.
Congratulations to Ben Proudfoot (son of Acting Registrar, Dr. Madine VanderPlaat) on winning an #Oscar for Best Documentary Short last night. #WorldWithoutLimits #ArtsWithImpact https://t.co/L67RDwQE48
— SMU Halifax (@smuhalifax) March 28, 2022
The 22-minute long film centres on the story of Lusia “Lucy” Harris. She was the only woman to be drafted by the NBA and was a basketball phenomenon in the 1970s.
Harris says in the film, she didn’t let anyone stop her from playing the sport.
“I was taller than everyone else in my class – 6’3. They would tease me, ‘long and tall and that’s all,’” Harris says. “That I was tall and I couldn’t do anything else – that wasn’t true.”
She knew her height would help her reach her dreams on the court, just like her favourite NBA players.
Harris was also the first Black woman inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and the first to score a basket in the Olympics.
Harris passed away on January 18th, 2022. She was 66.
**With files from Steve MacArthur.
