12 Mighty Orphans (2021) is an American film based on the eponymous non-fiction book by sports writer Jim Dent.

The film tells the story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of an orphanage in Fort Worth, Texas. During the Great Depression, the Mighty Mites went from not having shoes to play in to playing for the Texas championships. They become an inspiration, not only to their city but to their state, even to the nation.

Rusty Russell—himself an orphan—was the coach of the Mighty Mites. He is known for developing what’s called the “spread offense” in gridiron football, a way of playing that allowed the Mighty Mites to compete with larger boys.

It’s worth staying until the end of the film to find out what the orphan boys ended up doing as adults.