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NEW DOUBLE FEATURE ON THE 30-YEAR EVOLUTION OF THE RAPTORS AND BASKETBALL TO PREMIERE ON FEBRUARY 21 IN CANADA
- Two documentary films will debut in select Cineplex theatres followed by the NBA App globally, and Crave and TSN in Canada -
Toronto, ON — January 31, 2025 — In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Toronto Raptors and the NBA in Canada, a new double feature chronicling the history of the Raptors and the growth of basketball in Canada was announced today.
We The North: From Prehistoric to Historic details the Raptors’ rich history over the franchise’s first three decades, while Inbound documents the growth of basketball and shifting demographics around the sport since the NBA began its on-the-ground presence in the country. The double feature will debut in 43 Cineplex theatres in nine provinces across Canada from February 21-24 with tickets on sale now at Cineplex.com.
Inbound explores the connection between the changes in Canada’s immigration policy more than 50 years ago and the influx of Canadian basketball talent on today’s global stage through interviews with past and present athletes and their families, coaches and influential voices in Canadian culture.
“Inbound is both a reflection and celebration of the immense impact basketball has had in Canada and the game’s unique role in forging meaningful connections between fans and athletes of different backgrounds,” said Arnon de Mello, Managing Director, NBA Latin America and Canada. “We’re excited to give fans around the world an in-depth look at the extraordinary rise of basketball in Canada, which the Toronto Raptors have been at the center of.”
UNINTERUPTED Canada (UNC), Bell Media’s Crave and TSN come together to tell the story of the birth and rise of the franchise in a developing Canadian sports market. The NBA collaborated with Victory to document the shared trajectory between Canada’s rise as a global basketball powerhouse and the circumstances that helped shape the country’s multicultural identity.
We The North: From Prehistoric to Historic, a Crave Original documentary, includes the transformative story of the Raptors’ beginnings and their journey to forge their identity in what was a new NBA market at the time. The film revisits key moments and developments from throughout the organization’s history, highlighting the “We the North” movement that sparked a passionate and diverse community across the country, culminating in the historic 2019 NBA Championship and an exciting new image to the world. Throughout the feature, the team’s ongoing evolution is explored alongside the enduring legacy that continues to inspire fans into its 30th anniversary and beyond.
Both films feature numerous exclusive interviews with executives, coaches, players, cultural icons and fans, making its debut in select Cineplex theatres on February 21 until February 24, and then will be available across Canada on Crave, TSN and globally on the NBA App (except Belarus, China, Japan, and Russia).
Inbound was produced by Hannah Lerner and directed by Davin Black, for Victory. We The North: From Prehistoric to Historic was produced by Vinay Virmani for UNINTERUPTED Canada in partnership with Crave and TSN, and directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sami Khan, who recently directed the Netflix NBA documentary, Starting 5. The Crave Original documentary was made possible with the support of Ontario Creates.
Fans can learn more about the films at NBA.com/30Years and purchase tickets at Cineplex.com.
About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season featured a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.
About Crave
Delivering more Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning programming than any other service, Crave is Canada’s prestige entertainment offering, with HBO Originals, Max Originals, STARZ, Hollywood-hit movies, is the exclusive Canadian streaming home of FRIENDS, and boasts a robust slate of English and French original series. Crave is a major supporter of Canada’s production industry, helping to fund numerous film projects, and features acclaimed selections from some of Canada’s prestigious film festivals including Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, HOT DOCS, ImagineNATIVE, and Inside Out Film Festival.
Crave is a bilingual TV and streaming service with thousands of hours of exclusive French-language content. Crave is available directly to all Canadians with access to the Internet at Crave.ca, via iOS and Android, and other platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, select LG Smart TVs, PlayStation, Roku, select Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One. It’s also available through participating service providers across ten, 24-hour High Definition linear and on demand channels. Crave is from Bell Media, Canada’s leading content company, providing Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming on network, specialty, pay and digital platforms. Visit our website at Crave.ca.
About Cineplex
Cineplex (TSX:CGX) is a top-tier Canadian brand that operates in the Film Entertainment and Content, Amusement and Leisure, and Media sectors. Cineplex offers a unique escape from the everyday to millions of guests through its circuit of 172 movie theatres and location-based entertainment venues. In addition to being Canada’s largest and most innovative film exhibitor, the company operates Canada’s favourite destination for ‘Eats & Entertainment’ (The Rec Room), complexes specially designed for teens and families (Playdium), and an entertainment concept that brings movies, amusement gaming, dining, and live performances together under one roof (Cineplex Junxion). It also operates successful businesses in cinema media (Cineplex Media), digital place-based media (Cineplex Digital Media or CDM), alternative programming (Cineplex Events), motion picture distribution (Cineplex Pictures) and digital commerce (CineplexStore.com). Providing even more value for its guests, Cineplex is a partner in Scene+, Canada’s largest entertainment and lifestyle loyalty program.
Proudly recognized as having one of the country’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures, Cineplex employs over 10,000 people in its offices and venues across Canada. To learn more, visit Cineplex.com.
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