In 1970, Pat Palinkas played American football for the Orlando Panthers. She became the first woman to play the sport for pay. She also worked as a teacher of young children. Her story made news across the country, but later many people forgot her.
Ashley Brandon made a 12-minute film about her called Panther Pat. Brandon found out about Palinkas in a book about football in Connecticut. The film team sent Palinkas a letter, and she wrote back. Work on the film started in 2021.
The film brings together interviews, archive material and scenes with dolls and toys. The team moved the toys a little at a time to make them look alive. The idea came from Palinkas’s childhood: she wanted to play football, but people told her girls played with dolls.
Palinkas died in the summer of 2025, before the film was ready. Her family welcomed the film. It won a prize for short films about real life at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival. Brandon hopes young viewers can see themselves in sport through Pat’s story.
