Giants of Africa, a film that documents Toronto Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri’s work to inspire and create opportunity for youth in Africa through basketball, was named to the lineup for the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival today.

Giants of Africa tells the story of a movement that Ujiri envisioned 13 years ago. At the core of this film is the notion of using basketball as a tool to create lasting change and to empower others to dream big, while growing the game in Africa.

A native of Nigeria, Ujiri’s love of basketball paved his way to becoming the first African-born General Manager for a major North American sports team and he never forgot his roots, or the opportunities presented to him. Inspired by the NBA’s ‘Basketball Without Borders’ program, Giants of Africa exists to create those same opportunities for not only African youth, but also for coaches and mentors who go back to their own homeland to influence future generations.

“On behalf of Hubert Davis and the team that worked so hard to tell the story of these children with a dream in Africa, we are honoured that Giants of Africa will be showcased at one of the world’s greatest film festivals,” said Masai Ujiri. “We believe that sport really can change the world and encourage these youth to dream big. We are very grateful to the Toronto International Film Festival for giving us such a powerful platform to tell their story and ultimately helping these young people realize their potential through the game of basketball.”

The journey of making this film began in the spring of 2014, when Executive Producer Michael Gelfand began assembling a team to tell the story of Giants of Africa. Led by Academy Award nominated director Hubert Davis, the team consisted of nine key members, each of whom possessed a unique and valuable track record in the film industry.

For full Toronto International Film Festival details, please visit www.tiff.net.

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