Panther Pat

Directed by Ashley Brandon · Starring Patricia Palinkas · 2026

In 1970 schoolteacher Pat Palinkas became the first woman to play professional football, stepping onto the field for the Orlando Panthers — then was quickly forgotten.

An inventive doll-animated documentary reviving a forgotten trailblazer, winner of Slamdance's documentary short grand jury prize.

In 1970, Pat Palinkas became the first woman to play professional football when she stepped onto the field for the Orlando Panthers. A schoolteacher with no playbook and everything to prove, she shocked the nation with h

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