“Filmed over four years, from the dilapidated cement courts of Senegal to upscale American prep schools, ELEVATE documents the extraordinary personal journeys of four particularly tall West African Muslim teenage boys with NBA dreams. Recruited for both their physical and academic skills, Assane, Dethie, Byago and Aziz accept basketball scholarships to schools in the United States – and face the daunting challenges of alienation, a foreign language, American-style basketball and an unfamiliar American culture rife with African stereotypes. But with courage, humor, and remarkable resilience, they relentlessly pursue their dreams – to obtain an education and a shot at the NBA.”
Directed by: Anne Buford
Produced by: Anne Buford, Chiemi Karasawa, Victoria Yoffie, Co-Producer Jesse Ruutila
For more info. visit Elevate website.
ELEVATE Assane Arrives in the US from ELEVATE on Vimeo.
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
