Eephus
Eephus is a 2024 sports film directed by Carson Lund about the final game of an amateur New England baseball league before their stadium is demolished. The film premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it was eligible for the Caméra d'Or award. The film stars Keith William Richards in his first lead role.
Premise
In a small Massachusetts town in the 1990s, the Adler's Paint baseball team, led by Ed Mortainian, face the Riverdogs, led by Graham Morris, in one last game before their ballfield is demolished to make room for a new school.Cast
Production
Eephus was filmed on location at Soldiers Field in Douglas, Massachusetts. While the film's story centers on this real-life baseball field, the plot concerning the demolition of the field and the construction of a school was fictional. Lund cited Goodbye, Dragon Inn as an influence on the film's story.Lund co-wrote the screenplay for Eephus with Michael Basta and Nate Fisher. Due to his experience as a director of photography, Lund had hoped to serve as cinematographer on the film, but chose Greg Tango for the role when this proved impractical.
Eephus was co-produced by members of Chapo Trap House, a prominent left-wing podcast known for its political commentary. Two of its hosts, Will Menaker and Amber A'lee Frost, have voice acting roles in the film.
Release
Eephus world-premiered on May 9, 2024, in the Director's Fortnight section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The film also screened at Filmfest München on June 30, 2024, and was selected for the Meeting Point section of the 69th Valladolid International Film Festival.The film made its North American premiere in the Main Slate of the 62nd New York Film Festival on October 2, 2024. It also screened at AFI Fest on October 25, 2024. It was released in the United States on March 7, 2025.