American Promise (2013)
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.
Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson.
![]() |
Idris Brewster as Self |
![]() |
Oluwaseun Summers as Self |
![]() |
Michèle Stephenson as Self |
![]() |
Joe Brewster as Self |
![]() |
Anthony Summers as Self |
![]() |
Stacey O. Summers as Self |
| Directing | Joe Brewster | Director |
| Directing | Michèle Stephenson | Director |
| Crew | Errol Webber | Cinematography |
| Editing | Mary Manhardt | Editor |
| Editing | Andrew Siwoff | Editor |
| Editing | Erin Casper | Editor |
| Crew | Margaret Byrne | Cinematography |
| Crew | Jon Stuyvesant | Cinematography |
| Sound | Miriam Cutler | Original Music Composer |
| Production | Michèle Stephenson | Producer |
| Production | Joe Brewster | Producer |
| Production | Dan Cogan | Co-Executive Producer |
| Production | Simon Kilmurry | Executive Producer |
| Production | Cynthia Lopez | Executive Producer |
| Crew | Alfredo Alcántara | Cinematography |
| Sound | Eric Milano | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Editing | Geeta Gandbhir | Additional Editor |