American Promise | |
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Directed by | Joe Brewster Michèle Stephenson |
Release date |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $94,000[1] |
American Promise is a documentary film spanning 13 years from directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson.[2] The film captures the stories of Brewster and Stephenson's 5-year-old son Idris and his best friend and classmate Seun as these families navigate their way through the rigorous prep-school process and secure admission to the Dalton School.[3][4] The film is set against the backdrop of a persistent educational achievement gap that dramatically affects African-American boys at all socioeconomic levels across the country.[citation needed] The film's focus shifted based on the experiences that Idris and Seun faced while at Dalton.[5]
American Promise premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a special jury award.[6] The filmmakers also launched a national campaign at Sundance to help raise $100,000 and 100,000 volunteer hours for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Mentoring Brothers in Action program.