ESPN has announced the completion of their 30 for 30 documentary, “I’m Just Here for the Riot,” featuring the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riots. On June 15, 2011, the Boston Bruins defeated the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals Game 7, which resulted in a massive riot downtown Vancouver. People vandalized police cars, stores, and shattered windows. The chaos was recorded on countless cell phone cameras, and culprits were identified and ostracized. The documentary, directed by Kathleen Jayme (“The Grizzlie Truth,” “Finding Big Country”) and Asia Youngman (“This Ink Runs Deep,” “N’xaxaitkw”), delves into the aftermath and reflects on violence, fandom, and the power of an angry mob.
“Taking a subject like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals and the ensuing riot – and using that event to tell an even bigger story about society – is what makes 30 for 30 so special,” said Marsha Cooke, Vice President & Executive Producer, ESPN Films and 30 for 30. “The filmmakers had a clear POV: they wanted to explain not just what happened, but WHY. Why do we get so caught up in the emotions of winning and losing? Why do normal people sometimes run amok and do things they regret? And in a world dominated by cell phones and social media, why do we feel compelled to capture everything, no matter how destructive it might be? It is a story about regret and shame, but profoundly, it’s also about how you rebuild, forgive, and try to find something meaningful in the aftermath.”
The documentary is executive produced by ESPN Films.
You may also be interested in...