image from disney instagram
One of the hardest things a mother or parent can do is to leave their child behind, but can we really blame a parent who had to leave their son behind with their grandma, so they could be able to travel to another country illegally to earn a living. that is the story of the successful NBA winner and MVP winner and his brothers, this is the story of the Atetokounmpo family and their journey and struggles to success.
Rise is not just a movie but the story of one of the most successful and influential sports families in the world right now, the Atetokoumpo, a household name in the NBA. they didn't just come into the limelight or become a household name, they had to work hard and make huge sacrifices and risks. The movie started with their father and mother leaving one of them behind when they were migrating away from Nigeria to Greece illegally because he couldn't make the trip.
The movie showed how they had to struggle from racism, and lack of job since they were illegal immigrants even when they tried to get their paper, their request was denied. the Atetokoumpo didn't give up, they endured and kept on pushing.
The Atetokpoumpo brothers didn't even know what or how to play basketball before, not until came across some guys playing basketball in a park one day when they were playing football. they joined in playing but they weren't very good, the two brothers fell in love with basketball and decided to join the free basketball team and train with them after school hours, even when they knew it was risky for them and they could get caught and deported.
The two brothers kept on playing and became good till scouts started noticing them, even when the scout noticed them they faced problems with their lack of legal papers, but Giannis was able to get a deal to Spain that helped him get on the NBA draft and he was able to impress the Milwaukee coach.
years have gone and Giannis have gone on to win the NBA and become MVP and his other brothers(Kostas, Francis, Thanasis, Alex, are also playing in the NBA and also NBA winners. the whole family was able to reunite together before their father died.
my favorite part of the movie is when his name was called as the last person picked during the draft, I still remember how tears rolled down my eyes, during that scene. Rise is truly the best and most motivating sport movie I have ever watched.
One thing i learned from the movie is not to give up on our dreams and never think our dreams are too wild or big to achieve.
picture from kostas antetokoumpo instagram
This is my entry to the weekly CineTV Contest, follow the link below to submit your entry.
