THE RULES OF LACROSSE.

What do Wayne Gretzky, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (Maryland), and David Grohl (Foo Fighters / Nirvana) have in common? You guessed it, they all played lacrosse, the sport that’s been dubbed, “The fastest game on two feet.” In an interview with the filmmaker, Wayne Gretzky emphatically states, “I always say this to people—you think football and ice hockey are physical? The most physical sport I ever played in my life was lacrosse.

‍

”However, these “Rules of Lacrosse” were not ripped from the pages of the official rule books for men’s lacrosse, but rather by observation over the past years by a screenwriter-turned-producer, who was writing a lacrosse-themed movie script that required a lot of research on the sport, much more than anticipated. After amassing files of the subject of lacrosse, an opportunity arose to produce a film about the sport! Thus, the birth of this 10-part docuseries.

‍

This series covers the A to Z of men’s lacrosse, from its rich, Indigenous history to the present forms of men’s lacrosse, both the box and field games. This series explores several themes of men’s lacrosse: forming and maintaining professional teams and their players, the college sport and numerous leagues, the wooden stick controversy, and the growing of the game internationally from its North American roots. In fact, lacrosse will become an official men’s and women’s Olympics sport, beginning in 2028!We have included interviews from some of the greatest names in the sport as well as film footage, artist renditions, and stills from various games throughout the history of the game. In one section, Rule #9, entitled “Honor and Recognize Those Who Have Played Before You,” Wayne Gretzky names the best lacrosse player who has ever played, Garylord Powless, from the Six Nations Reserve. In fact, Powless was recently elected to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, which we cover in the movie, so we think that Gretzky called it right!

‍

The series provides both a serious and humorous look at men’s lacrosse. Sometimes in these extremely competitive games, rules do get broken, and you will see some of this wild footage in Rule #10 “Sometimes Rules Are Meant to Be Broken”. We hope to show the good, the bad, and the not too ugly sides of one of the world’s fastest growing sports.

Joanne Storkan is the founder and executive producer of Honest Engine Films. Formerly a journalism and English teacher, turned screenwriter, she founded the company in 2004, in Monterey, California. She co-directed a documentary entitled “Dirt McComber: Last of the Mohicans,” that has won numerous awards.Some of her other production credits include: A BRAVE HEART - The Lizzie Velasquez Story, BOTSO - The Teacher from Tbilisi, Shorts by Amy Jo Johnson, LINES and BENT, the Bill Nighy/Emily Blunt comedy directed by Jonathan Lynn, WILD TARGET, and CAMP UNITY filmed in Iraq.