Polynesian-American high-school football players in Utah aim for careers in pro sports while dealing with day-to-day gang violence and poverty.

Few dancers reach the elite level of ballet; of that already small number only a fraction are black women. Misty Copeland shattered those barriers in 2015, making history as the first African American principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT).

A Ballerina's Tale intimately documents Copeland's historic rise while shining a light on the absence of women of color at major ballet companies. The film also explores how ballet's emphasis on waifish bodies impacts the health of ballerinas while sending a negative message to young fans.