Schedule | TNT Originals | Turner Learning



Synopsis

PASSING GLORY is a TNT Original film premiering Sunday, February 21, at 8PM (et\pt). Set in segregation-era Louisiana in the mid-1960s, PASSING GLORY tells of Father Paul Verrett, an unorthodox young African-American priest from the North given a second chance at remaining in the Josephite order. Father Verrett becomes a history teacher at St. Augustine, an all-Black Catholic school in Louisiana and eventually takes over as coach of its undefeated basketball team. Hoping to ignite the sparks of the Civil Rights Movement in this small Louisiana town, Father Verrett and his star athlete, Travis Porter, must overcome the shared fears and prejudices of both Whites and Blacks in their community to change the rules forever. Verrett exhorts his players to challenge the town's social conventions by organizing a game between his undefeated team and a rival, undefeated all-White team. The head-to-head competition results in the possibility of discovering mutual respect which crosses racial boundaries. Based on a true story, PASSING GLORY was written by Harold Sylvester, a member of the historic 1965 St. Augustine basketball team. It is brought to TNT by executive producers Quincy Jones, David Salzman and Earvin "Magic" Johnson and by director Steve James, the award-winning producer and director of "Hoop Dreams." The film stars Emmy®-Award winner Andre Braugher, Rip Torn and Ruby Dee and up-and-coming young Hollywood talents Sean Squire and Arthur Agee.