Republic Pictures has acquired “Mighty Mary,” a documentary narrated by Hugh Jackman and Elizabeth Banks that follows the first all-women’s sailing team to compete for the America’s Cup. The film premieres at the Nantucket Film Festival on June 18, with a wide
On June 18, the Nantucket Film Festival will host the premiere of “Mighty Mary,” a new documentary built around a gamble that once looked like it wouldn’t survive scrutiny. Republic Pictures has picked up the film, which is narrated by Hugh Jackman and Elizabeth Banks and directed by Mary Mazzio.
The documentary chronicles the first all-women’s sailing team to compete for the America’s Cup—an arena where tradition has long been entrenched and where the women at the center of the story were widely dismissed at the time as a publicity stunt. What they did instead was force a recalculation. The team evolved from an open call advertisement in The New York Times into a roster of world-class and Olympic athletes. including Olympic sailors. Olympic rowers. a Native Hawaiian sailor. and trailblazing women athletes from across the country.
The film tracks how their momentum turned into a genuine threat to the established order. They stunned the sailing world by defeating Stars & Stripes, helmed by four-time America’s Cup winner Dennis Conner, before a controversial backroom decision upended that outcome.
That sweep—from skepticism to contention to the shock of what happened after the victory—is central to the documentary’s promise. It’s also why the premiere is expected to include many of the sailors who lived the journey. including Olympians. Round-the-World Sailors. and World Champions: Amy Baltzell. Merritt Carey. Sarah Cavanagh. Annie Gardner. Suzette Hauʻoli Smith Gurtler. Merritt Palm Keffer. Diana Klybert. Suzy Leech. Linda Lindquist. Marci Porter Lucier. Lisa Charles McDonald. Joan Touchette Porter and Hannah Swett.
After the Nantucket premiere, the audience reach widens quickly. AMC Theatres will play “Mighty Mary” starting on Sept. 11 in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Washington DC, Miami, Detroit, San Diego, Atlanta, San Francisco, Annapolis, Oklahoma City, and Traverse City (MI).
Republic Pictures’ acquisition places the film in a wider national spotlight under a production built to keep athletes and storytelling tightly connected. “Mighty Mary” is produced by Grant Hill (Atlanta Hawks owner and NBA All-Star). Allison Abner (writer for Narcos. The West Wing and Imperfect Women) and Mazzio alongside Skydance Sports. The film is EP’ed by Jackman and Banks.
Skydance Sports also put its weight behind the project. with Lauren Gaffney. Vice President. Unscripted. Skydance Sports. saying the team’s work is designed to reach beyond competition and that “Mighty Mary” celebrates a pioneering group of women who refused to accept limitations and made sports history.
Mazzio. who founded 50 Eggs Films and previously directed documentaries including Underwater Dreams. I Am Jane Doe. A Hero for Daisy. A Most Beautiful Thing. and Bad River. framed the film as something she believes must be told. She said the grit and resilience of the athletes is a “rousing call to girls and young women about what can be possible in the face of what looks to be impossible.”.
The film’s broader reach is also backed by international distribution plans. “Mighty Mary” will be distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
The creative team behind the documentary spans major sports and media talent as well as established film craftsmanship: the original score is by Grammy-winning producer Shep Crawford. The film is edited by Kyle Farmer, Mary Mazzio and Shondra Burke, with cinematography by Peter Levy and Patrick Ruth.
“Some stories demand to be told — and Mighty Mary is one of them. ” said Sejin Croninger. Executive Vice President of Worldwide Acquisitions. Paramount Pictures. He added that the film is both a “breathtaking sports documentary” and a testament to women who refused to let the boundaries of their sport define them.
Co-written by Abner and Mazzio, “Mighty Mary” is also EP’ed by Arthur M. Blank, Tamia Hill, Sue Wagner, Bryan White, Christine White, Bill Hudson, Laurie M. Tisch, John H. Carlson. Bill McNabb. Katie McNabb. Bruce Herring. Tricia Herring. Dori Walton and Bill Walton. Skydance Sports’ Jesse Sisgold. Jason Reed. Jon Weinbach. Lauren Gaffney along with Alexis Garcia and Abner.
Mighty Mary Hugh Jackman Elizabeth Banks Republic Pictures Mary Mazzio Skydance Sports Nantucket Film Festival America’s Cup sailing documentary AMC Theatres