Steph Curry wins Sundance Film Festival award for directorial debut

Stephen Curry.

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MANILA, Philippines — Golden State Warriors star player Stephen Curry has added another trophy to his shelf, this time outside of basketball.

"The Baddest Speech Writer of All" — which Curry produced and co-directed with Oscar-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot — won the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the United States.

The short film centers on Clarence B. Jones, the longtime lawyer and speechwriter of Martin Luther King Jr., reflecting on his time with the civil rights leader and the personal costs of his job.

A statement from the jury, which includes comedy actor Martin Starr, said the film "implores us to take action with a message that is timeless and timely."

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"Through the eyes of its subject, we find one of the most important moments in modern history has a new perspective," the jury's citation goes to the film "for its portrait of a strong willed, hilarious, compassionate man, and the instrumental role he played in kicking ass, nonviolently, against division and hate."

While Steph wasn't present to accept the award, the Warriors' next game is against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City (around 50 kilometers away from the festival), meaning a victory celebration is inevitable.

Steph is no stranger to Sundance, having attended the festival three years ago when Peter Nicks directed and premiered the documentary "Underrated" about his rise to fame.

Ben's two Oscar wins were for the short films "The Queen of Basketball" and "The Last Repair Shop," the former project about Lusia Harris executive produced by Steph and fellow basketball star Shaquille O'Neal.

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