Lenny Cooke
World Premiere

Lenny Cooke

Viewpoints
| USA | 90 MINUTES | English | English subtitles
Sports, Documentary
In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. In an era when high school stars were forgoing college hoops in favor of the potential multi-million dollar contracts promised in the NBA draft, Lenny was supposed to be the next superstar. He had the world at his fingertips. But over a decade later, while his peers are taking home MVP awards and championship trophies, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA. What went wrong?

With incredible access to Lenny’s story as it unfolded over the past decade, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie follow Lenny from his run-down home in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to the New Jersey suburbs where he spent his high school career through to the present day, with the friends and family who shared in his dreams and aspirations. Lenny Cooke is a quintessentially American story about dreaming big, the fickle nature of sports celebrity and the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach.

—Ian Hollander

Cast & Credits
Directed by
Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie
JOSHUA and BENNY SAFDIE were born and raised in New York City. Individually their work has played at many international festivals, while their first feature together, Daddy Longlegs, won the 2011 John Cassavetes Award. Their latest film is The Black Balloon, which won a short filmmaking award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Director
Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie
Producer
Adam Shopkorn
Editor
Benny Safdie
Associate Producer
Adam Shopkorn
Cinematographer
Josh Safdie
Executive Producer
Adam Shopkorn, Joakim Noah

Contacts
Print Source
Benny Safdie
New York, 10013
ben@redbucketfilms.com
Press Contact
Adam Kersh
Fusion Entertainment
New York, NY 10011
Phone: 917 771 7021
adam@fusion-entertainment.com
US Sales Contact
Nate Bolotin
XYZ Films
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Phone: 310 956 1554
nate@xyzfilms.com
US Sales Contact
Jessica Lacy
ICM Partners
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: 310 550 4316
Jessica.Lacy@icmpartners.com
* Rush Tickets available at venue except for
Beacon Theatre
Rush will be offered when advanced tickets for a screening or event are no longer available at venues other than Beacon Theatre.
The Rush system functions as a standby line that will form at the venue approximately one hour prior to scheduled start time. Admittance is based on availability and will begin roughly 10 minutes prior to program start time. Rush Tickets are the same price as advance tickets and are payable upon entry.

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