"Can't Retire From This" Wins Big at Pan African Film Festival
- majormotives
- Mar 22
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 3
"What an honor it was to be in the room— to be recognized by some prestigious, top industry minds for this love story about girls basketball that never seems to stop. Can't Retire From This won the Best Short Documentary Award at the 2025 Academy Award Qualifying Pan African Film Festival.
For anyone who's been watching this journey from near or afar— don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't or shouldn't do something that you know is aligned with your purpose. Start from where your feet are planted and do it YOUR way. Be a student of life, be a student of art and Bloom when YOU are ready. The right ones will find you and guide you...
I've been reflecting a lot lately...On how far l've come.
How this Cant Retire From This journey has opened more doors for me than I ever could've imagined. Than I ever knew I needed to imagine. We started this in the midst of the pandemic and wanting to gather stories of our DMV basketball community so that the women, coaches, and folks we looked up to and played with don't ever get overlooked and erased. As the world opened back up and my former teammates, friends, and everybody who I started this journey with began resuming their lives in this new normalcy, I had to keep the gas on the pedal and keep these stories alive. Those who have joined me on this journey in various phases have fueled me tremendously to where l've gotten. Last year, I got to build myself as more of a public facing figure in this women's basketball space and gotten comfortable talking on platforms, pushing myself out of my reclusive shell.
Five film festivals, two nominations, and one really big win — this is just the pilot episode and our film's resume is kinda crazy. The story continues and we need your help to see it through. Thank you to everyone who has helped me so far with the time and the resources that you've provided. Your influence will never go unnoticed. Your influence has helped me become more comfortable with being me. Thank you" - Melanie Page
