BS High debuts at Tribeca Film Festival: Cast list, reviews, trailer and more explored

'BS High', a documentary exposing the Bishop Sycamore high school football scandal, made its debut last week at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival. The film delves into how this fake high school managed to deceive its way into a nationally televised game on ESPN in 2021.

What is the background of Bishop Sycamore?

Bishop Sycamore's story began a few years before their ESPN debut in 2021. The school was founded in 2018, originally named Christians of Fatih Academy.

Players were allegedly recruited with promises of a program similar to IMG Academy, despite the absence of a physical campus or actual classes. Shockingly, there were even players who exceeded the typical high school age range and had families of their own.

In 2019, Christians of Fatih Academy rebranded itself as the Bishop Sycamore Centurions. They finished the 2018 season with a 2-8 record and posted a 4-5 record in 2019. The Centurions faced a more challenging schedule in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a winless season with opponents outscoring them 227-42.

Entering the 2021 season, the Centurions had a 0-2 record when they accepted the nationally televised matchup against powerhouse IMG Academy. Outmatched and overwhelmed, they suffered a devastating 58-0 loss.

The lopsided game raised doubts about Bishop Sycamore's legitimacy, leading ESPN announcers to question the program's authenticity. Despite coach Roy Johnson's failure to adhere to ESPN's protocols, the game proceeded as planned. Johnson was subsequently fired, and Tyren Jackson took over as the new head coach, revealing that Bishop Sycamore was not a legitimate educational institution.

What have viewers said about 'BS High'?

Jonathan Berk of Berkreviews gave 'BS High' a 'Must See' rating, stating:

"At first, the audience thinks there is no way the story of this documentary can get any scarier than that initial plunge of cold water that rushed up their noses. Then, just as they start to catch their breath, the film slams them back underwater time and time again, as more details about BS High – and its founder, Roy Johnson – are revealed.

"In other words, this is a film that constantly finds new ways to keep knocking the wind out of its audience, as this insane story burrows deeper into the depths of despair for what passes as humanity."

The documentary features interviews with players, coaches, family members and even head coach Roy Johnson. It was directed by Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe, whose 2020 short film 'Two Distant Strangers' won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

'BS High' premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 14th. It will air on HBO Max later this year.