Champion of the Periphery
A documentary film that follows Adem, a 19-year-old French-Tunisian boy from the neglected suburbs of Paris who dreams of an American Football scholarship to North America.
We are seeking funding to get Adem, who has been filming himself, a new camera to be able to shoot in 4K, funding to attend meet markets, and paying a cinematographer for extra filming during matches.
Project
Champion of the Periphery
Logline:
Adem, a French Tunisian boy from the poor suburbs of Paris, dreams of an American Football scholarship to North America.
How Did the Story Start?
In the summer of 2021, Adem asked me (Pauline) to film his story, leading to an unlikely friendship.
I gave Adem a camera to film himself throughout the year, creating an intimate portrayal of his life. Both from different worlds, we connected on the idea of producing a new narrative from the suburbs.
Seeing the Parisian suburbs through its inhabitants' eyes is perhaps the most important part of the film. The footage shot by Adem takes centre stage, allowing him and his friends to tell their own stories. Despite having no prior experience in film, Adem has developed a real passion for the art form, and you can see how his shots develop over time.
The unique aspect of this is my absence as a director to create authentic moments in a world which has for too long, been misrepresented and not given control by its own inhabitants. It has also allowed for skill sharing and future opportunities for Adem and the rest of the team.
What Do We Need Now?
After a year in development, we now need some support to help us get more footage from Adem. We need a new camera for Adem to film himself that can shoot 4k and have better sound so he can shoot for another year. The rest of the funding will also go to paying for a DOP for the important matches coming up. With your support, Adem can continue to produce quality videos for the film, as well as improve his filmmaking skills. We also need funding to attend meet markets to develop the project.
Therefore, our 3 main priorities are:
1. A new camera for Adem
2. Pay for a DOP to film the matches
3. Support for attending workshops and meet markets to develop the project
Project History:
Champion of the Periphery was born in October 2021. It was selected to participate in two of Sundance Collab's Programmes: The Documentary Development Workshop (October - December 2021) and the Story Shaping Intensive Workshop (June 2022), as well as Dox in Vitro's Development Workshop (September 2022). The University of London Institute in Paris also supports this project, specifically looking at how collaborative filmmaking is a viable way of shaping new narratives.
We are currently ending the development phase of the film.
Pledge without reward:
I will do a special shout out on Social Media (Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram) as a thank you for your donation!
Have your name published in the 'Thank You' section of the credits.
Once the film is in its final cut, get a sneaky preview before anyone else! We will send you the film in a vimeo link.