Mark Ciardi

Movies

American Underdog
Producer
The true story of Kurt Warner, who went from a stockboy at a grocery store to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
Safety
Producer
The story of Ray-Ray McElrathbey, a freshman football player for Clemson University, who secretly raised his younger brother on campus after his home life became too unsteady.
The Way Back
Executive Producer
A former basketball all-star, who has lost his wife and family foundation in a struggle with addiction, attempts to regain his soul and salvation by becoming the coach of a disparate ethnically mixed high school basketball team at his alma mater.
42 to 1
Executive Producer
In sports, we're used to seeing the improbable. But the impossible is another matter entirely. And on February 11, 1990, while the odds were technically 42 to 1, it was very much the impossible that happened in a boxing ring in Tokyo, Japan, when James "Buster" Douglas defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world. The ESPN "30 for 30" documentary "42 to 1" tells the story of just how incredibly unlikely it was. It starts in Columbus, Ohio, where Douglas grew up the son of a boxer, who trained and guided him to become a top-10 heavyweight contender in the mid 1980's. Of course, it was all in the shadow of the rise of "Iron" Mike Tyson, who became a worldwide phenomenon in a remarkable undefeated run to the undisputed title. And by the time their fight was set, Douglas was lightly regarded, merely a stepping stone for bigger fights for the champion. But on the day they met, a series of extraordinary circumstances led to an unimaginable result.
The Miracle Season
Producer
After the tragic death of star volleyball player Caroline "Line" Found, a team of dispirited high school girls must band together under the guidance of their tough-love coach in hopes of winning the state championship!
Chappaquiddick
Producer
Ted Kennedy's life and political career become derailed in the aftermath of a fatal car accident in 1969 that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne.
Fallen
Producer
Lucinda Price is sent to a reform academy under the assumption that she has killed a boy. There, she meets two mysterious boys, Cam and Daniel, to whom she feels drawn to both. But as the love triangle unfurls, it is Daniel that Luce cannot keep herself away from, and things begin to take a darker turn when she finds out his true identity.
McFarland, USA
Producer
A track coach in a small California town transforms a team of athletes into championship contenders.
Big Shot
Executive Producer
A meteoric rise and tragic fall are captured in this brief history of a beloved sports team and a man who took a chance. When the New York Islanders first burst on the national hockey scene, the team was unstoppable. Winning four straight Stanley Cups, it became the pride of Long Island, until subsequent years of turmoil left the Islanders in dire straits. Enter John Spano, an obscure Texas millionaire with big dreams and a persuasive smile. Director and avid Islanders fan Kevin Connolly of HBO’s Entourage gets an earnest play-by-play from a man who exaggerated his social and monetary profile so vastly that he actually took control of an NHL franchise. With testimony from sports analysts and federal investigators, Connolly skillfully pieces together this unbelievable story.
Secretariat
Producer
Housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery - with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin - manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.
Tooth Fairy
Producer
When minor-league hockey player Derek Thompson -- who has a penchant for knocking out his opponents' teeth every time he plays -- disillusions a fan, he is sentenced to a stint for one week as a bona fide, tutu-clad, real-life tooth fairy. Soon, Derek is inspired to rekindle his youthful dreams.
The Game Plan
Producer
Bachelor football star Joe Kingman seems to have it all. He is wealthy and carefree, and his team is on the way to capturing a championship. Suddenly, he is tackled by some unexpected news: He has a young daughter, the result of a last fling with his ex-wife. Joe must learn to balance his personal and professional lives with the needs of his child.
Invincible
Producer
Inspired by the true story of Vince Papale, a man with nothing to lose who ignored the staggering odds and made his dream come true. When the coach of Papale's beloved hometown football team hosted an unprecedented open tryout, the public consensus was that it was a waste of time – no one good enough to play professional football was going to be found this way.
Miracle
Producer
When college coach Herb Brooks is hired to helm the 1980 U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, he brings a unique and brash style to the ice. After assembling a team of hot-headed college all-stars, who are humiliated in an early match, Brooks unites his squad against a common foe: the heavily-favored Soviet team.
The New Guy
Producer
Nerdy high school senior Dizzy Harrison has finally gotten lucky -- after purposely getting expelled, he takes lessons in 'badass cool' from a convict and enrolls at a new school. But can he keep up the ruse?
The Rookie
Producer
Jim Morris never made it out of the minor leagues before a shoulder injury ended his pitching career twelve years ago. Now a married-with-children high-school chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas, Jim's team makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, Jim will try out with a major-league organization. The bet proves incentive enough for the team, and they go from worst to first, making it to state for the first time in the history of the school. Jim, forced to live up to his end of the deal, is nearly laughed off the try-out field--until he gets onto the mound, where he confounds the scouts (and himself) by clocking successive 98 mph fastballs, good enough for a minor-league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Jim's still got a lot of pitches to throw before he makes it to The Show, but with his big-league dreams revived, there's no telling where he could go.
Me, Myself & Irene
Softball Player
Rhode Island State Trooper Charlie Baileygates has a multiple personality disorder. One personality is crazy and aggressive, while the other is more friendly and laid back. Both of these personalities fall in love with the same woman named Irene after Charlie loses his medication.