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On-Topic Shorts Season 1

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Forget what you know about tennis. These four intimate portraits reveal the unique histories and unexpected communities that can be built around the sport, and the timeless beauty and healing power of bringing ball to racket

Topic’s streaming service brings you exclusive TV and films from around the globe. Try it free. Cancel anytime.Learn More

Sign In

Topic Studios produces award-winning film, TV & podcasts, supporting creators at the forefront of culture.Learn More

Topic is a First Look Media company

On-Topic Shorts

United StatesDocumentaryTV-141 Season | 4 Episodes

On-Topic Shorts is a seasonal collection of short films carefully hand-picked from festival favorites, originally-produced world debuts, award-winning classics and early works by eminent fil

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Watch episode 1 free
4 Episodes
South Oxford
S1 | E1
•
13 Mins
He was crazy about tennis, she was drawn to his passion. Together, they built a life running the South Oxford Tennis Club in Brooklyn from 1981 to 1997. Now Richard and Ann Northern are sharing their favorite memories from those days, from his Tennis Hotline show, to building the courts with their own hands, to having their own wedding at the club, which kicked off a decade and a half of love, labor, and rackets.
All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club
S1 | E2
•
11 Mins
When Mark Kuhn decided to build a homemade tennis court, he never imagined it would become popular or take on such profound significance. The All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club started out as a family project and grew into a beloved public court for his community. But after his family experienced an unthinkable tragedy, it became a very private outlet for healing. Today, it remains a fitting memorial that still conjures many happy memories for Mark.
Maravilla
S1 | E3
•
12 Mins
Built by and for its community, the Maravilla handball courts in East LA have provided an outlet for healthy exercise for almost a century. But they’re so much more than just an athletic space. Amanda Perez gives us a history lesson on the courts, which span back to 1928 and have come to represent the neighborhood’s rich Chicano heritage. Since then, multiple generations have upheld the historic landmark as a sacred site where people can be themselves.
Serve
S1 | E4
•
11 Mins
This intimate portrait of a tennis instructor is like a meditation on finding strength and peace through the ritual that is bringing ball to racket. She’s tough as nails when she’s training her students, but in her personal life, she’s grieving her mother’s health and old age. The only thing that recenters her is practicing her serve. When she’s on the court, she finds her breath again and transforms into the formidable athlete and instructor that most people see.

Credits

Cast

Daphne L. Bryce, Hyacinth Yorke, Adrian M. Reyes, Richard Northern, Ann Northern, Richard Johnson, Amanda Perez, Rick Coleman, Denise Kuhn, Mark Kuhn

Director

Darius Clark Monroe

Producers

Donald Conley, Darius Clark Monroe, Tariq Holloway

Executive Producers

Ryan Chanatry, Anna Holmes

Cinematographer

Daniel Patterson

Editor

Doug Lenox
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