Three brothers, Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo born in Greece to Nigerian parents (always at risk of being expelled), capable of becoming, after a path full of obstacles and new beginnings, stars in the NBA. An extraordinary true story that is told by Rise, the film directed by South African director Akin Omotoso, with Dayo Okeniyi, Yetide Badaki, Manish Dayal, Taylor Nichols, Ral Agada and Uche Agada, which has just debuted on Disney +. “Disney contacted us in 2018 and offered us the opportunity to share our story with the rest of the world – explains Giannis Antetokounmpo, born in 1994, star of the Milwaukee Bucks, in the streaming press conference, where he became the best scorer in history. of the team and is recognized as one of the best wings of all time, capable of achieving in the NBA Playoffs last season, more than 200 points, over 100 rebounds and 50 assists. – We talked about it as a family, we felt that our path could be an inspiration and we understood that it was the right time to tell it, also to show who the real heroes of this story were, my parents “As soon as” I learned about the history of Antetokounmpo, “I immediately understood that it was a incredible modern tale about overcoming adversity – says screenwriter Arash Amel -. It is universal, as the story of a family that continues to have faith in the contemporary world, in which migration and cultural identity are fundamental elements “i. Director Akin Omotoso has always been” a fan of the NBA and in particular of African basketball players who they play in the league – he says -. Ever since Giannis was hired in 2013, I have always thought that I would like to tell his story and that of the brothers in a movie. “Then” when I learned that Disney was working on the project, I told my agent to do everything to get me in front of those producers to have the opportunity to exhibit my vision. “The film starts from the daily struggles of Veronica and Charles Antetokounmpo (Yetide Badakie and Dayo Okeniyi) parents of five children, who emigrated from Nigeria to Greece. jobs and the fear of being repatriated, also because children despite being born in Greece do not have the right to citizenship, linked in the Greek system to the legal principle of ius sanguinis (citizenship is obtained if you have a parent or ancestor who is already in possession, ed.) A life in the balance for the family that begins to turn around as much as Giannis, Thanasis (played by a real pair of brothers, Uche and Ral Agada) and Kostas (Jaden O simuwa), they discover the passion for basketball as teenagers and slowly reveal an immense talent that will also make them land in the NBA. “When I saw the film I was very excited – Veronica Antetokounmpo, widowed in 2017, when her husband Charles died of a heart attack at the age of 54 – I would like people after seeing the film to feel the importance of keeping in the your life your humility, discipline, believe in everything you do and never lose hope “.
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