Films / STUDENT ATHLETE – 2018

STUDENT ATHLETE – 2018

This feature-length HBO sports documentary directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton examines the complex rules of amateur athletics in the United States and the exploitation of student-athletes by a billion-dollar industry. HBO released the documentary in October 2018.

In 2015 news of an incredible story came to Sharmeen via Steve Stoute and Maverick Carter about the exploitation of uncompensated amateur athletes and their families in America. As a filmmaker who has worked extensively on human rights issues, the subject immediately struck a chord with her, and when she began to look into the system and understand what truly happens, SOC Films brought on Trish Dalton to co-direct the film with Sharmeen.

So began a journey documenting the issues facing those involved with college athletics and the exploitative culture of the NCAA. Over the next two years, and with LeBron James as the executive producer, the documentary came together in the form of ‘Student Athletic’, profiling the stories of four athletes in various stages of their careers.

After the film premiered on HBO in 2018, Sharmeen’s co-director and herself were invited to screen ‘Student-Athlete on Capitol Hill in 2019 in Washington DC by U.S. Representative Al Lawson, along with Senator Chris Murphy’s office to bring this important topic to the attention of Congress.

In light of a landmark, unanimous ruling where the Supreme Court of the United States took the side of college athletes against the NCAA in allowing them to receive education-related compensation for their athletic contributions.

SOC Films is proud that our small film may have made a difference to the lives of those students and others who continue to fight for the right to receive adequate compensation for their sporting accomplishments.