Experience the powerful and inspiring story of how Air Jordan 1 (AJ1) transcended sports to become a global phenomenon when Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1 arrives on Digital and On Demand May 14 from Lionsgate. From first-time filmmaker Dexton Deboree, the documentary features interviews with culture-defining titans, including NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan himself, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman), Lena Waithe (TV’s “Master of None”), Carmelo Anthony, Chuck D, Glenda “Gizzle” Proby, Russell Westbrook, and Phil Knight among others, to explore how AJ1 was not just a sneaker, but a worldwide movement that broke through barriers of race, age, and gender to instigate a cultural revolution that’s lasted over three decades and continues to define the culture in which we now live.
This is the story of Air Jordan 1, the shoe that tapped a cultural nerve deep inside a generation, unlocked the voice of so many voiceless, and transcended sports to become a global phenomenon. Beyond the shoe’s iconic image and deeper than the legend of its namesake – Michael Jordan – Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1 explores the AJ1’s role in giving birth to sneaker culture, re-shaping the game of basketball, and the very identity of the NBA. It revolutionized the business of the professional athlete as a brand and radically disrupted a generation to define our modern global culture on and off the court. Through a riveting journey of powerful voices also include TV’s “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris, actor Anthony Anderson, DJ and record producer DJ Khaled, across all aspects of culture from then and now, the film chronicles the shoe’s explosive impact on history and our modern world. The film is produced by Stef Fink and Dexton Deboree.
Join the movement and support the cause by entering the official Unbanned Sweepstakes at www.unbannedunboxed.com for the chance to score a pair of 1985 Air Jordan 1s, a collection of 5 rare AJ1’s and 21 other limited AJ1’s. Everyone who enters will receive a digital copy of the film. Additionally, Unbanned has partnered with Wings — Jordan Brand’s Community Impact arm — to donate a portion of every ticket sold to local charities around the country who are focused on empowering underserved youth through the power of education and mentorship. All winners will also receive a pair of custom, limited-edition Unbanned laces and a bound copy of the “SLAM KICKS presents JORDANS I-XXXIII -The Trilogy.”
