Professional basketball player, Serge Ibaka, returns to his home country
of the Congo with the hope of helping a community rattled by violence.
Director:
Adam HootnickStars:
Serge Ibaka |Storyline
Professional basketball player, Serge Ibaka, returns to his home country
of the Congo with the hope of helping a community rattled by violence. Son of the Congo is directed by award-winning filmmaker, Adam
Hootnick, and produced in conjunction with the production company,
Humble. In addition to Son of the Congo, Hootnick has directed acclaimed documentaries for ESPN’s “30 for 30 Shorts” (Judging Jewell) and won the Slamdance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Unsettled.
Grantland has done such a great job producing “30 For 30″ short documentaries in collaboration with ESPN Films that it only seemed natural for its production company to branch out into feature length films.
Under the banner of Grantland Features, its film production wing has produced a full-length documentary titled Son of the Congo. The film will debut March 14 at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas.
Son of the Congo will follow Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka, recount his journey from his native Congo to NBA star and document his return to his homeland. The film will tell the story of Ibaka growing up amidst the war-torn country and depict the struggle youth continue to face in the Congo. Ibaka returns to the neighborhoods in which he played basketball, often without shoes, and spent many nights sleeping in empty lots.
Son of the Congo will premiere at SXSW on March 14. Following its SXSW premiere, it will debut on Grantland, in five parts, on March 23-27. The film will air on April 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Movie Details
Twenty-four-year-old Serge Ibaka’s improbable journey has taken him from the war-torn streets of Congo to the top echelon of the NBA. In Son of the Congo, Ibaka returns home to recount the poignant story of his childhood and confront a stark reality faced by a new generation of Congolese youth. Not content to settle for photo ops, Ibaka revisits the neighborhoods where he once slept in empty lots and practiced basketball without shoes. With grace and generosity, Ibaka receives and supports an endless stream of friends and strangers who hope he can change their lives. The odds are long, but Ibaka shares an unshakeable faith that a better future is only possible if you never stop trying.Serge Ibaka managed to escape the war-torn streets of the Congo and play his way to the top of the NBA. In 'Son of the Congo,' he returns to his native country, revisiting the empty lots where he used to sleep, reconnecting with his daughter, and confronting the stark reality facing Congolese youth. The odds are long, but Ibaka imparts his unshakable belief that a better future is possible if you never stop trying. The full length documentary will be released for free on Grantland.com on March 23rd.Grantland has done such a great job producing “30 For 30″ short documentaries in collaboration with ESPN Films that it only seemed natural for its production company to branch out into feature length films.
Under the banner of Grantland Features, its film production wing has produced a full-length documentary titled Son of the Congo. The film will debut March 14 at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas.
Son of the Congo will follow Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka, recount his journey from his native Congo to NBA star and document his return to his homeland. The film will tell the story of Ibaka growing up amidst the war-torn country and depict the struggle youth continue to face in the Congo. Ibaka returns to the neighborhoods in which he played basketball, often without shoes, and spent many nights sleeping in empty lots.
About Grantland
Since its launch in 2011 by Bill Simmons and ESPN, Grantland has been recognized for its entertaining and original content from both established and up-and-coming writers like Wesley Morris, Bill Barnwell, Zach Lowe, Katie Baker and Rembert Browne. Not limited to just creating short and long-form written work, Grantland is an industry leader in podcasts, having launched two award-winning networks to join Bill Simmons’ trailblazing ‘The BS Report.’ A modern, multimedia brand, Grantland is also the home for signature video projects ranging from the Emmy Award winning “30 for 30 Shorts,” the popular “Bill and Jalen” NBA series, “Grantland Features” film series and a one-hour primetime television show, “The Grantland Basketball Hour.”
DiD You Know?
Serge Ibaka escaped the war-torn streets of the Congo and played his way to the top of the NBA. In Son of the Congo, he returns to his native country, revisiting the empty lots where he slept and confronting the stark reality facing Congolese youth.Son of the Congo will premiere at SXSW on March 14. Following its SXSW premiere, it will debut on Grantland, in five parts, on March 23-27. The film will air on April 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
0 comments:
Post a Comment