The film is a collection of stories that celebrates the past, present, and future of basketball in Africa, spotlighting the sport’s impact on African society and its development on the continent. It is scheduled as a kick-off event for the , a three-day literary festival to be held in Westport, Conn.
The Connecticut Writing Project (CWP) and the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at ¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp will present a free screening of Hoops Africa: Ubuntu Matters on October 11, 2018 at 7 p.m.
Following the screening there will be a Q&A panel discussion with: Bryan Ripley Crandall, PhD, associate professor of educational studies and teacher preparation in Fairfield's Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, and director of the CWP; Men’s Basketball Head Coach Sydney Johnson; the film’s producer, Taylor Sharp; and the founder and executive director of Hoops 4 Hope, Mark Crandall.
“When I learned of the Saugatuck StoryFest,” explained Dr. Crandall, “I thought it might be wonderful to tell the story of sports, literacy, and community engagement between the men’s basketball team and the Connecticut Writing Project at ¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp. The film’s message of togetherness is also what brought [Coach] Sydney Johnson and I together.”
The Hoops Africa: Ubuntu Matters film documents the dreams of a young Zimbabwean player and honors the African NBA legends who paved the way before him. Centering on basketball nonprofit Hoops 4 Hope in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the documentary uncovers the role that the African philosophy of Ubuntu played in the Boston Celtics’ 2008 NBA Championship season and also documents the historic 2015 NBA Africa Game.
Featuring Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Adam Silver, Luol Deng, Luc Mbah a Moute, Chris Paul, Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce, and many more NBA greats, this documentary shows us all why #UbuntuMatters.
“Ubuntu is central to the work of the Connecticut Writing Project,” said Dr. Crandall.
The screening and Q&A panel are free and open to the public, but seating is limited so registration is requested. For more information and to register, please visit Fairfield.edu/hoopsafrica.
