“I Am Thalente” skates onto Digital Download May 13th!
April 15th, 2016 by Shohan Cagle
An exuberant skate doc with a social message, I AM THALENTE, is currently playing event screenings throughout the U.S., and will release digitally on May 13th, 2016. This is the inaugural release of the new distribution wing of acclaimed crowdfunding and streaming company Seed & Spark.*
I AM THALENTE follows Thalente Biyela, a 17 year-old homeless skateboard prodigy in South Africa who catches the eye of the professional skate-world when a DIY video of him skating goes viral. A group of top pro-skaters and figures in the skate world, including Kenny Anderson and legend Tony Hawk, offer Thalente support and an opportunity to pursue his dream of skating and competing in the U.S, to rise about his circumstances and help him shape his own future.
Director Natalie Johns, who grew up in South Africa, has created a moving international portrait of teenage struggle and ambition, capturing the extreme highs and lows of success and failure – all framed by the thrilling backdrop of skate parks and competitions from South Africa to Los Angeles. Featuring a vibrant ensemble of young skaters, professional legends, and the memorable figure of teenage skater Thalente Biyela.
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“A unique tale that shows just how far positivity and confidence can take someone.”
– Katie Walsh, Indiewire’s “The Playlist”“
– Katie Walsh, Indiewire’s “The Playlist”“
I AM THALENTE is an active, soul-searching and soul-affirming doc. It is one that doesn’t exist in a passive fly-on-the-wall sense, with a hero that lives up to his namesake 100%.”
– Ben Umstead, Twitch
– Ben Umstead, Twitch
Seed & Spark presents
I AM THALENTE
Currently playing at theatrical event screenings in select cities across the U.S.
Available on VOD May 13th
Event screening info: https://www.
iTunes pre-order: https://itunes.
Director / Screenwriter: Natalie Johns
Producers: Colin Kennedy, Oualid Mouaness, Selema “Sal” Masekela, Jason Bergh, Julia Lebedev
Cinematographers: Natalie Johns, Lawrence McCallum, Brett Bert Shaw, Jimmy Reynolds
Principal Cast: Thalente Biyela, Tony Hawk, Kenny Anderson, Guy Mariano, Lance Mountain
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RELEASE PLATFORMS / SCREENINGS:
I AM THALENTE will be released on digitally through Seed & Spark on May 13th, 2016 across digital platforms including iTunes, Time Warner, Comcast, Brighthouse, Cox, Verizon, iTunes, Amazon, Googleplay, Vudu, Sony Playstation, and Xbox. Also currently playing theatrically as event screenings in cities across the nation, including Los Angeles, Austin, Providence, Cambridge, San Diego, Minneapolis, more cities TBA shortly.
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SYNOPSIS:
Thalente Biyela is about to turn 18 and needs to decide what to be when he ‘grows up’. Homeless since age nine, he is illiterate his opportunities are limited. At age eight, his first skateboard becomes his escape from turmoil at home, giving him a way to express himself, and access to a community of friends who become family. Skateboarding soon became the driving force in his life, providing him sanctity as he lived on the streets of Durban. An internet video of Thalente skating reaches pro-skater Kenny Anderson who offers to take him under his wing if he makes it to America. Thalente puts his heart and soul to the test to rise above circumstance and shape his future.
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ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Filmmaker Natalie Johns was born in Zimbabwe, grew up in South Africa and established her career in London where she specialized in live entertainment television and documentary film. Johns found her passion for filmmaking through a love of music; songs put into words what Johns could not. Growing up in South Africa she was deeply affected by the disparity in the world around her. She went to film school with the desire to create images for music but was drawn to documentary by stories of journalists who were instrumental in ending the war in Vietnam and Apartheid in South Africa. She began her career capturing the live experience of music and this evolved into the desire to create experiences and connect story to audiences, raise awareness or simply help people to better understand one another. Creating moving portraits of the people she works with, Johns cares about the ‘experience’ and seeks out the humanity in every story.
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ABOUT SEED & SPARK
Seed & Spark is a crowdfunding and streaming ecosystem for independent filmmakers and film lovers with the highest crowdfunding success rate in the industry – 84%! Every time an audience member supports the making of a moving picture project (funding, following, sharing) they earn “Sparks” which can be redeemed to watch movies on the streaming platform. Supporting films lets you watch more films: It’s the new ecosystem for filmmakers & audiences! Seed&Spark also published a semi-annual print magazine for film audiences, Bright Ideas, featuring the new and dangerous voices of truly independent cinema. For more Information, go to http://www.seedandspark.
This sounds dope, can’t wait to check it out.
Yeah man!