As part of a special baseball-themed Labor Day weekend, Cinema Fairfield and the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center will be screening a new independent movie called Rally Caps on Friday, August 30, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, August 31, at 2 p.m.
A family film set at a youth baseball camp, Rally Caps stars Oscar-nominated actor Judd Hirsch (Taxi, The Fablemans, Ordinary People) and Amy Smart (Starship Troopers, Crank). On Friday night, Rally Caps’ writer-director Lee Cipolla and producer Katherine Borda will be attending the screening. After the film, they will join Assistant Professor Matthew Kalil from the David Lynch MFA in Screenwriting program for a question and answer session.
Rally Caps is a heartwarming baseball flick about a young boy overcoming adversity and finding the inner strength to pitch his best game when it counts—think Bad News Bears meets The Sandlot. The film is adapted from the book by father-daughter writing team Stephen J. Cutler and Jodi Michelle Cutler, and is based on actual events.
Bringing a unique local connection to the project, a pivotal scene in Rally Caps was shot on the Field of Dreams baseball field in Dyersville, Iowa. As a special Labor Day weekend pairing, Cinema Fairfield will also be screening Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner on Saturday, August 31, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, September 1, at 2 p.m.
Cipolla’s quest to bring this kids’ disability baseball movie to the big screen has been an extraordinary journey, and movie lovers are lucky to have the film’s director in Fairfield for this special screening before it shows at the Field of Dreams site the following night, on August 31.
I recently spoke with Lee Cipolla about working with one of the great actors of our time and seeing the film become available for on-demand screening later this summer.
What inspired you to tell this particular story?
I’ve always wanted to make a film about baseball, kids, and summertime. Growing up, I idolized classics like The Sandlot, Angels in the Outfield, and Rookie of the Year. This film unabashedly wears those influences on its sleeves. Baseball is a microcosm of life, unique and perfect in so many ways, yet flawed.
The book was sent to me many years ago by the writers, but I finally took a crack at adapting it in 2020 when the pandemic hit and all my other projects were on hiatus. I remember reading a quote from Jordan Peele that advised writing something you’d like to watch. . . . I realized I’d been working on so many projects for different reasons other than pure passion.
Rally Caps is a pure-hearted story with the backdrop of kids, summer, and baseball. It was a no-brainer.
What was it like to actually shoot on the actual Field of Dreams site?
It was a nightmare. The Field of Dreams shoot was supposed to be a breezy four-hour session at sunset, but it poured all day and during the shoot. We had just 15 rain-free minutes to get as much coverage as possible before it rained again, eventually leading to tornado warnings.
That night, I called my wife from the barn while watching the storm, and told her we didn’t get the coverage we needed and that the project was cursed. However, when I reviewed the footage at home, I realized the overcast skies, lightning, and rain actually suited the scene perfectly. Jordy [the young boy in the story, played by Carson Minniear] was in distress in that moment, and the stormy atmosphere captured that feeling far better than my original plan.
Your wife, Katherine Borda, is a producer for the film. How was it working with your life partner on such a big passion project?
For my wife and me, it was challenging and tested our love and friendship, but it cemented us as life partners. This small film had big ambitions, and when your goals exceed your means, there’s a price to pay. We wore many hats and made many sacrifices, facing the hardest period of our lives. Much of the post-production was done in our basement over two years. A lot of weight was on our shoulders. It’s not something we’ll ever do again, but we’re stronger for it.
Of course our readers are curious about working with Judd Hirsch. What was that like? Was he your first choice to play the grandfather?
He was at the top of my wish list, which I made with producer Amy Williams. I remember studying Ordinary People in film school and being struck by Judd’s performance. Twenty years later, I was directing him just weeks before he went to shoot The Fabelmans for Spielberg. Judd’s energy and humor were remarkable. He was always moving, reciting Shakespeare between takes, and entertaining the crew. But what I’ll remember the most was his fervor for serving the story. He really cared about getting it right.
How was Rally Caps different than your previous films?
That’s a great question. This is my first family-friendly film, and it’s also the most personal one I’ve made. I’m not sure how it compares to my past work—that’s for others to say. But from my perspective, making this film has been a transformative experience. It’s changed me, for better and for worse, but it was a change that needed to happen. I feel like a different person coming out of this.
You ended up shooting Rally Caps during the height of Covid. Was that challenging?
Making movies is challenging enough, and Covid added a whole new layer of difficulty. It increased our budget by 25 percent, introduced a host of logistical issues, and created a lot of anxiety. We had a testing crew on site because even one positive test could have shut down the project entirely. A three-day shutdown would have been catastrophic, as we were quarantined at a camp and would have had to cover additional costs for board, food, and daily rates. I’m grateful we made it through—it truly felt like a blessing.
How does it feel knowing that your film is going to be on a major streaming platform?
We don’t know yet where it will land, but it will be available to rent via VOD on September 10 across all major platforms. Stay tuned to our Instagram and Facebook channels for updates, also available on our website, RallyCapstheMovie.com.
Tickets to the Rally Caps screenings on August 30–31 are available at the door: $7 for the Friday 7 p.m. film and Q&A, $5 for the Saturday 2 p.m. matinee. The Fairfield Arts & Convention Center is located at 200 N. Main Street in Fairfield. FairfieldACC.com.