American Promise
Success is Our Only Option.
Masterfully told with pointy precision, AMERICAN PROMISE spans 12 years in the lives of two middle class black families as they navigate their family experience when they choose to send their two young sons to a prestigious Manhattan private school.
With a sharp and merciless camera, filmmakers/parents Joe and Michele intimately document the struggles as these talented boys deal with stereotypes and identity issues, while their parents juggle high expectations against the social and cultural obstacles their sons face. Convinced that education is the key to success in the 21st century, these families make enormous sacrifices for an elite education. But will the rewards be there? AMERICAN PROMISE ultimately confronts the question.
Director
Joe Brewster & Michele Stephenson
Producer
Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson
Runtime
120 minutes
Rights Represented
Educational Rights, International Rights
Captions Available
English
Language
English
Press
“A Remarkable Documentary.”
- The LA Times
“…dazzling…an engrossing portrait of modern parenting.”
- The Washington Post
“An extraordinary documentary about race, family and education that’s at once epic and intimate…a monumental undertaking.”
- RogerEbert.com
“This massive undertaking, culled from more than 800 hours of footage, illuminates the mistakes, the challenges and the personal growth of not only the two boys, but of the parents as well.”
- The Hollywood Reporter
Festival & Awards
Official Selection – SUNDANCE Film Festival
Related Films
Far From the Tree
Race to Nowhere
Chasing Childhood
