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Nine-episode documentary series about the dreams of up-and-coming young basketballers in Toronto makes great family viewing for the Holidays. National Film Board of Canada and Red Bull Media House present Direction Nord (True North) by Ryan Sidhoo, now available free of charge in French.

PRESS RELEASE
18/12/2018

December 18, 2018 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Red Bull Media House present Direction Nord (True North) by Ryan Sidhoo, a nine-episode documentary series now available online with French subtitles. The series, which has already garnered more than 260,000 streaming views in its original English version, provides an intimate look at the rise of the Toronto hoop dream, through the stories of five young athletes inspired by the wave of professional talent coming from their city. The director captures the raw emotion of navigating today’s youth-basketball machine through the eyes of the city’s players, coaches and families at the centre of it.

The series follows contemporary coming-of-age stories as they unfold in an evolving city, sharing a unique Canadian experience that’s rooted in generational immigration. Direction Nord (True North) was produced by the NFB’s Shirley Vercruysse and is distributed in partnership with Red Bull Media House.

The perfect series to binge-watch with the family during the Holidays

Starting today, French-speaking audiences across Canada can watch the nine episodes of Direction Nord (total running time 2 h 39 min, with each episode lasting between 15 and 23 min) on the ONF YouTube channel and at ONF.ca, in the original English version with French subtitles, as well as on Red Bull TV in the original English version.

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES IN THE SERIES
DeMar DeRozan, Steve Nash, Cory Joseph, Jamal Murray, Jamaal Magloire, Damon Stoudamire, Phil Dixon, Michael Meeks, Devoe Joseph and Schea Cotton

FIVE YOUNG ATHLETES IN THE SERIES

  • Elijah Fisher (Grassroots AAU): At six-foot, three-inches tall, Elijah is the number-one-ranked 12-year-old in North America. His parents keep him balanced amidst the social-media hype.
  • Keone Davis (King Nation AAU): What he lacks in size, he makes up for in heart. Keone has a strong connection with his mother.
  • Jalen Celestine (King Nation AAU): Son of Curtis Celestine, who played collegiately at Marist University in New York. Jalen hopes to go to prep school in the States.
  • Malachi Ndur (King Nation AAU): Son of former NHL player Rumun Ndur. Malachi is a small-town kid who has been thrust into the fast-paced world of youth basketball.
  • Cordell Veira (Toronto Basketball Academy): In his senior year, Cordell hopes to land his first NCAA Division 1 offer while carrying the weight of family redemption.

ELITE COACHES IN THE SERIES

  • Coach Ro Russel (Grassroots AAU): A trailblazer in Canada’s AAU Basketball scene, Ro Russell has coached the likes of NBA champions Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph. His next project is developing Elijah Fisher into an elite talent.
  • Coach Vidal Massiah (Northern Kings AAU): A former Team Canada Captain, Vidal Massiah hopes his brand of tough love will prepare his players for life on and off the court.
  • Coach Adeel Sahibzada (Toronto Basketball Academy): The founder of the underdog program at the Toronto Basketball Academy, Adeel Sahibzada is looking to send a player to an NCAA Division 1 program without the benefit of the financial backing enjoyed by larger programs.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Instagram: @ONF_NFB & @RedBullCanada

Facebook: NFB & Red Bull

Hashtag: #TrueNorthDoc

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Related Products

Electronic Press Kit | Images, trailers, synopsis: True North

Photos: Photo Credit:  Yasin Osman/Red Bull Content Pool
Trailers: 30 second and 60 second
Episode Descriptions and NFB Media Space

Associated Links

Red Bull Media House
Red Bull TV

Media Relations

  • About the NFB

    For more than 80 years, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has produced, distributed and preserved those stories, which now form a vast audiovisual collection—an important part of our cultural heritage that represents all Canadians.

    To tell these stories, the NFB works with filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds, from across the country. It harnesses their creativity to produce relevant and groundbreaking content for curious, engaged and diverse audiences. The NFB also collaborates with industry experts to foster innovation in every aspect of storytelling, from formats to distribution models.

    Every year, another 50 or so powerful new animated and documentary films are added to the NFB’s extensive collection of more than 14,000 titles, half of which are available to watch for free on nfb.ca.

    Through its mandate, its stature and its productions, the NFB contributes to Canada’s cultural identity and is helping to build the Canada of tomorrow.

  • About Red Bull Media House

    Red Bull Media House is an award-winning, globally distributed multi-platform media company on a mission to inspire with ‘beyond the ordinary’ stories – both direct-to-consumer and through partnerships. With a focus on sports, culture and lifestyle content, Red Bull Media House offers a wide range of premium media products across TV, mobile, digital, audio, and print. Red Bull Media House produces and licenses a broad selection of global live broadcast events, compelling and inspirational local storytelling with original short and long-form programming as well as feature films from around the world.