American Promise 11 years old

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.

Credits

American Promise Cast

Name	Character
Michèle Stephenson	as Self
Joe Brewster	as Self

American Promise Crew

Name	Department
Joe Brewster as Director.	Directing
Joe Brewster as Producer.	Production
Miriam Cutler as Original Music Composer. She was 63 (now 74) years old	Sound
Dan Cogan as Co-Executive Producer. He was 63 (now 74) years old	Production
Mary Manhardt as Editor.	Editing
Michèle Stephenson as Director.	Directing
Michèle Stephenson as Producer.	Production