Two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star Angel McCoughtry brings her expansive knowledge of the game to the big screen in the short film, Bygones. McCoughtry makes her directorial debut with an emotionally stirring sports drama about forgiveness, both on and off the court. The film will screen at the 2025 Raindance Film Festival this week.

Long-Buried Secrets Emerge Off the Court

Bygones opens with a house party in Atlanta, 1969. A small group of friends celebrate their recent basketball championship, dancing and singing the night away. Leon (Jordan Pressley), the game’s MVP, eventually calls the night early and heads home to his wife, Qunis, and young daughter. The film then jumps to the present day, where a young woman named Charissa (Malyah Glover) is shooting hoops in a local gym. Her athletic potential catches the attention of JJ (Kelly Shapiro), a middle-aged white man who gives her a few unsolicited pointers. Their relationship effortlessly evolves into a mentor/mentee dynamic, and it’s not long before JJ finds himself at Charissa’s family’s house for a BBQ.

It’s here where JJ meets Charissa’s grandma, Qunis (Le’coe Willingham). “Do I know you from somewhere?” she asks him earnestly. He shakes his head no. It isn’t until Charissa shows JJ a photo of her grandpa that JJ faces the ugly truth. He connects the dots and realizes that her grandfather is Leon, the young man he killed in 1965. The clues are subtle, but once realized, they cause our hearts to sink. Another strategic flashback shows a young JJ with his group of friends viciously attacking Leon years ago. It’s revealed that Leon and JJ were rivals, and JJ couldn’t stand that his team lost the championship game. The result of this racist and horrific violence ended up killing Leon, widowing Qunis, and leaving Charissa without a grandfather.

Delves Beneath the Surface of Competition and Camaraderie

The prevailing message that Angel McCoughtry aims to get across is that redemption, no matter how terrible an act, is possible. Charissa is rightfully devastated to discover JJ’s connection to her late grandfather and decides to cut him out of her life for good. It’s Grandma Qunis who encourages Charissa to give him another chance. She reminds her that no one is perfect and hatred has no place in her family anymore.

For an already gripping storyline, the cinematography complements the drama. Handheld shots and the utilization of close-ups on the basketball court draw the audience into the competition. Both Malyah Glover and Le’coe Willingham give layered performances, sometimes outshining actor Kelly Shapiro. Nevertheless, the ensemble cast has good chemistry together, and their dynamic is rooted in realism.

Takeaway

Bygones proves that the love of the game has the potential to trump evil. A strong film with an equally strong message, Bygones is a successful directorial debut. Here’s hoping that Angel McCoughtry has more sports stories to tell.