Is the American Dream All True? Unpacking the Film with Raphaël Quenard & Jean-Pascal Zadi

The narrative of “The American Dream” is not only remarkable but also based on reality. Released this Wednesday, February 18, Anthony Marciano’s latest film (Play), starring Jean-Pascal Zadi and Raphaël Quenard, chronicles the journey of Bouna Ndiaye and Jérémy Medjena. Starting from humble beginnings, they became two of the most powerful agents in the NBA, placing players like Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, and Victor Wembanyama in the American basketball league.

As is common with biographical films, complete accuracy to the facts is often sacrificed for narrative flow and runtime considerations. However, one might wonder how much artistic license has been taken with this story, as some moments in “The American Dream” seem almost too cinematic to be true.

“Everything is true,” claims Anthony Marciano, who also wrote the screenplay, in an interview. “The events are real. Sometimes, for comedic effect, we exaggerate details, and when you’re condensing twenty years into two hours, some compression is necessary. Thus, some characters are composites of multiple people, and others are fictional, included in the film to represent an idea that [Bouna and Jérémy] discussed with me.”

“All the Facts Are True”

“These adaptations are necessary for the narrative to hold together and be engaging for the audience. But all the major plot twists and movements are based on actual events. All the numbers are accurate, including the renegotiation of Batum’s contract at the end.” Therefore, “The American Dream” not only aims to move and excite you with its story of overcoming adversity that goes beyond basketball, it also impresses with the authenticity of its portrayal.

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