In 1970, Pat Palinkas played for the Orlando Panthers. She became the first woman to play football as a paid player. She also taught young children at school. Her story made news across the country, but many people later forgot her.
Filmmaker Ashley Brandon tells her story in “Panther Pat.” This 12-minute movie is about real events. It brings together talks with Palinkas, material from the past, and scenes with dolls and toys. The filmmakers move the toys a little at a time to make them look alive on screen.
The idea for the dolls came from Palinkas’s childhood. She wanted to play football, but people told her that girls played with dolls. Brandon learned about Palinkas in a book about football in Connecticut. The filmmakers wrote her a letter, and work on the movie started in 2021.
Palinkas died in the summer of 2025, before the movie was ready. Her family supports the film. In 2026, it won a major award for short movies about real events at the Slamdance Film Festival. It also played at Tribeca and can be considered for an Oscar. Brandon hopes young viewers can see themselves in Pat’s story.
