Eastern | Documentary Film (2019)

Toronto high school Eastern Commerce competes for their last chance at championship glory. Directed by Luke Galati & produced by Jacob Thompson, Eastern, tells the story of four young men and the past, present & end of Canada's most historic basketball program.

Eastern made its premiere before a sold-out crowd at the Toronto Short Film Festival in March 2016. Eastern took home the award for Best Short Documentary.

The film then screened at the Royal Cinema in Toronto's Little Italy. The endeavour was funded by Ryerson University with all of the profits being raised for the charity, Peoples Basketball.

Eastern was then selected to be a part of the Canadian Sport Film Festival in Toronto at the prestigious TIFF Bell Lightbox Theatre. The documentary then screened in Toronto's Distillery District at a sold-out screening with Toronto's basketball community in attendance.

All of the funds raised donated to a Ryerson scholarship in the memory of Shae Frattura. Eastern has raised over $5000 for Toronto charities and scholarships.

Eastern was also selected for inclusion at the 2016 Regent Park Film Festival. Eastern was then broadcast nationally on TSN. The film is now available online on YouTube for Toronto's basketball community and beyond.

Starring (in order of appearance):

Lou Sialtsis
Simeon Mars
Trevor Bullen
Roy Rana
Kareem Griffin
Jamaal Magloire
Doug Johnson
Collin Charles
Akil Augustine
Gyasi Moffett
Josis Thomas
Jason McDonald
Delon Jemmott
Trevor Hutton
Kevin Jeffers
Nobuko Khan
Vidal Massiah
Jennifer Story
Paula Fletcher
Sean Henderson

and including:

Narcisse 'Big Shot' Mbanza
Goula Osman
Kadre Gray
Khosheem Simpson
Dwight Dixon
Muhammad Shabab Haroon
Kerwin Liverpool
Bob Nicholson
Nigel Tan
Ken Harvey
Kerreigh Ernst
Lee Anna Osei
Gary Durrant
Waleed Belcher

Eastern:

Directed by: Luke Galati
Produced & Edited by: Jacob Thompson
Executive Producers: Luke Galati, Jacob Thompson & Robert Mackenzie
Cinematography by: Eric Rowe
Original Musical Score by: Matthew Kinahan & Roberto Pena-Mendez
Associate Producers: Tagwa Moyo & Robert Mackenzie
Sound Recording by: Sean Singh, Kendra Legeault & Pierce Desroches-O'Sullivan
Assistant Editor: Aaron Navarro
Colorist: Alan Sardana
Sound Design: Matthew Kinahan
Additional Sound Editing: Adam Raley
Additional Sound Mixing: Paolo Amati
Additional Orchestration: Ben O'Neil
Set Photographer: Tagwa Moyo
Interviews by: Luke Galati & Robert Mackenzie

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