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Cast

Idris Brewster

Idris Brewster

Self

Oluwaseun Summers

Oluwaseun Summers

Self

Michèle Stephenson

Michèle Stephenson

Self

Joe Brewster

Joe Brewster

Self

Anthony Summers

Anthony Summers

Self

Stacey O. Summers

Stacey O. Summers

Self

Crew

Joe Brewster

Joe Brewster

Director

Michèle Stephenson

Michèle Stephenson

Director

Mary Manhardt

Mary Manhardt

Editor

Andrew Siwoff

Andrew Siwoff

Editor

Erin Casper

Erin Casper

Editor

Margaret Byrne

Margaret Byrne

Cinematography

Errol Webber

Errol Webber

Cinematography

Miriam Cutler

Miriam Cutler

Original Music Composer

Alfredo Alcantara

Alfredo Alcantara

Cinematography

Jon Stuyvesant

Jon Stuyvesant

Cinematography

Dan Cogan

Dan Cogan

Co-Executive Producer

Simon Kilmurry

Simon Kilmurry

Executive Producer

Cynthia Lopez

Cynthia Lopez

Executive Producer

Joe Brewster

Joe Brewster

Producer

Michèle Stephenson

Michèle Stephenson

Producer

Movie poster

American Promise

20136.7 / 10135 min
Documentary

Overview

Success is Our Only Option

In 1999, filmmakers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson turned the camera on themselves and began filming their five-year-old son, Idris, and his best friend, Seun, as they started kindergarten at the prestigious Dalton School just as the private institution was committing to diversify its student body. Their cameras continued to follow both families for another 12 years as the paths of the two boys diverged—one continued private school while the other pursued a very different route through the public education system.