About Hoop Warrior

Hoop Warrior’ explores the undeniable connection between basketball and the socio-political context of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. Highlighting the transformative power of sports in disenfranchised communities, and the role of young athletes uplifting them.

Through Jorge Matos’ journey, a professional basketball player who transitions from street basketball beyond national level in Puerto Rico, depicting the challenges, and rewards of Latinx athletes. Presenting the physical and psychological efforts required to succeed as a high-performance athlete. Exploring the rehabilitation process, and reclaiming one's place in sports after an injury.

Hoop Warrior examines Latinx international sports representation and its effects. Jorge Matos' FIBA 3x3 World Cup Gold Medal in 2021 –during the pandemic– exemplifies representation’s impact for Puerto Rican athletes and its youth. There’s potential for such visibility for Puerto Rico and Latinx athletes, during a fiscal crisis and ongoing post-disaster recovery.

Through Jorge Matos' story, ‘Hoop Warrior’ spotlights the sacrifices required to succeed in such a highly competitive field. Lastly, our film highlights the profound impact that sports can have on talented individuals hailing from communities in need.

Directors Statement

My connection to this story is deeply personal. The subject of our documentary, Jorge Matos, is my oldest nephew. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his journey and growth in basketball since he was only seven years old. From his struggles to his triumphs, I’ve been there every step of the way. His story of overcoming chronic asthma through sports has been particularly inspiring. As a filmmaker, I bring not only a familial connection but also a profound understanding and appreciation for his resilience.

As a woman of color and Latinx filmmaker, I see documentary filmmaking as an artistic journey into the human experience. I like to discover what is beneath the surface and beyond the image. I've always questioned “the image,” even as a child. I feel documentary filmmaking allows us to deconstruct images, dive in, and bring the stories’ deeper meaning to the surface. It's where the true beauty lies in storytelling.

This is why I’m a documentary filmmaker: I seek to capture and explore the truth of my subjects. Because I believe in empathy, my work is an introspection that reveals the extraordinary in the ordinary. I aim to show the interconnectedness of daily life and how we can see ourselves in others. I always find that it’s in the “simple spaces” where we find extraordinary stories that need and deserve to be told. I’ve drawn inspiration from films like "Man on Wire" (2008) and "Buena Vista Social Club" (1999), as well as the Latin American Cinema movements.

Through this process, I'll be able to closely witness aspects of my culture I've never experienced before. As a filmmaker shaped by the Puerto Rican diaspora, this project has already challenged me, as I’ve gone back to my roots through some unfamiliar and unexpected filmmaking scenarios. I’m excited about these challenges and the lessons to come.

‘Hoop Warrior’ represents the beginning of my legacy as a filmmaker who is also a woman of color. Further, through exploring our athletes’ stories, I believe our film will serve Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans, and the Latinx community at large. I believe in ‘Hoop Warrior’: this is a story that must be told.

Melisa Ramos

Melisa Ramos Rivera

Director/ Executive Producer

Born and raised Puerto Rico, Melisa Ramos is a post-production artist and film professor who has been working in New York City for 11 years. Coming from a family of writers and artisans, she found in film a way to integrate her love for both. After completing her MFA in Film, she learned the art of post-production and became a film professor, teaching at Pratt Institute and New York City College of Technology.

Her first production was a docu-series for CUNY TV documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which exposed her to the need for sharing Puerto Rican and Latin American stories. In 2020, during the pandemic, she produced and directed a docu series highlighting NYC performers and their journeys through the lockdown. This series, From Performers to Spectators, was her first independent production, picked up by PBS and the All Arts Channel. Ramos' first feature film, Hoop Warrior, is currently in production.

Miguel Miller

Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Director of photography Miguel Miller has developed a subtle yet nuanced and imaginative approach to the art of filmmaking. In the Dominican Republic, Miller grew up surrounded by the magical realism of the island. He instantly found an affinity to bringing images to life, evoking thought and emotion through them. He engages in all aspects of creating a film, from stories to characters, to narrative. Miller’s attention to detail and characteristically unconventional approach to storytelling sets him apart as an accomplished filmmaker.

Over the course of the past 11 years, I have worked in over 100 film projects, in different role such as:, director of photography, producer and assistant director, He has directed feature documentary ‘Your Real Nature” and is producer and director of photography of From Performers to Spectators directed by Melisa Ramos and aired on PBS 13 and All Arts Channel.

Pablo Monsalve

Born and raised in Colombia. Pablo Monsalve is documentary cinematographer focused on journalism for ten years. In Colombia he has published in the newspapers El Colombiano and Universo Centro and in the magazines Semana, Arcadia, Soho and Esquire Colombia. His works have appeared in international media such as Gatopardo México, New York Times, Vox, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, among others.

He has also exhibited his work at The Clemente Soto Vélez, a Puerto Rican and Latino Cultural space rooted in the Lower East Side, and with Chashama, a nonprofit organization that has been working in partnership with landlords to transform disused real estate for artists.

In New York City he develops audiovisual projects focused on documentary, artistic photography and video. He is currently the main director of photography for ‘Hoop Warrior’.

FILMMAKERS & CREW

The Vision Behind the Documentary

Our dedicated creative team spent years documenting the resilience, culture, and courts of Puerto Rico to capture Jorge Matos' journey with uncompromising authenticity.