Shot in Ocean City last year, “Ping Pong Summer” is now headed to the Sundance Film Festival, the country’s most prestigious showcase for independent film. The festival, founded by Robert Redford in 1978, is held in Park City, Utah every January, attracting celebrities, industry insiders, and film enthusiasts from around the world. this year’s festival will mark the world premier of “Ping Pong Summer,” written and directed by Maryland native Michael Tully. The film is a coming-of-age story set in the summer of 1985, about a ping-pong obsessed teenage boy on a family vacation to Ocean City.
“Ping Pong Summer” was shot in Ocean City last fall and wrapped production on October 26, 2012, one day before Hurricane Sandy hit. The last shot was filmed on the iconic Ocean City Fishing Pier, which was severely damaged during the storm. Since last fall, the film has been in post-production in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin. The help of hundreds of people from the Delmarva region made the movie possible, which is the first motion picture in more than 25 years to feature Ocean City so prominently.
Producer George Rush stated, “Even though Sundance takes place at a Utah ski resort, we anticipate a big group from the Eastern Shore will attend the film’s premiere. Our hope is to turn Park City into Ocean City.”
Tully added, “As a proud Marylander and someone who grew up going to Ocean City every summer, my 20-plus year dream of shooting PPS in OC and presenting the finished film to the world is about to come true. I couldn’t be more grateful for the support we received from the local community, and I couldn’t be more excited for this year’s Sundance!”
The premier will take place on January 18, 2014, as the film’s cast and supporters converge on Park City to celebrate the culmination of their hard work. “Ping Pong Summer” stars Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet and Judah Friedlander. The cast also includes young actors Marcello Conte and Andy Riddle; Marylanders Myles Massey, Joseph McCaughtry, Helena Seabrook, and Maddie Howard; and Ocean City local Emmi Shockley.
The project’s financing was secured by the producers through private equity, as well as generous support from the Town of Ocean City, Worcester County and the state of Maryland.
