The Lion of Teranga
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Sport
Alex Diallo is the seventeen-year-old star of his high school basketball team. Following an important victory, an abusive encounter with his coach dramatically alters his life and his relationship with his best friend and teammate, Max.
The Lion of Teranga
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Sport
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $9,725 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
42 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Alex Diallo is the seventeen-year-old star of his high school basketball team. Following an important victory, an abusive encounter with his coach dramatically alters his life and his relationship with his best friend and teammate, Max.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our film follows Alex (17, French-Senegalese), a high school basketball player who, while pursuing to win a championship with his team, becomes involved in a tragic incident.
With his friend Max (17, Afro-Latino), they are the stars of their team. After they win the game that qualifies them to the playoffs, a first step towards these teens’ future as black athletes, their coach invites Alex into his office to have a word.
For the rest of the story, Max tries to understand his friend’s ongoing situation – Alex seems to have lost touch with the game of basketball – causing a rift in their friendship.
In Wolof, Teranga means warmth and hospitality — a core value in Senegalese culture. On the other hand, Alex is a ferocious lion on the court, which can help, as he plays with intensity, but that same fire often holds him back. He hasn’t learned that warmth.
^^^^STILLS FROM OUR PRE-VIZ SHOOT // Link to the video!
Looking back, I’ve mostly made films about characters facing the consequences of tragedies. In most of them, they change, but whether or not they ultimately overcome the tragedy remains ambiguous. I want to tell a story where the characters do manage to get past one and start believing in a better future.
I come from a diverse family and I imbue my films with as much diversity as I can no matter the topic. In this instance, it’s a sports film, and as an avid sports lover, this is something I've always wanted to make. Not many know this, but the real reason I stopped playing soccer was in part because I wasn’t good enough, but also because the staff kept forcing us to take showers naked, almost shaming us for not doing it. And it reached a point where I couldn’t continue. I wasn't comfortable with it and didn't know how to talk about it to anyone, so I just quit. We later found out the head coach was fired due to pedophilia allegations. I haven’t been able to say this to many people until now, over a decade later, so I want to show characters that do overcome this type of obstacle and do what I couldn’t.
In this story, Alex is sexually abused by his coach and attempts to hide it from the world.
My experience is certainly not the same as sexual abuse or pedophilia, but I distinctly remember this really driving me down. I have a tough time opening up to people, sometimes, particularly my closest friends. I see myself in Alex and I want to explore these traits through this film.
So why basketball? Apart from its logistical aspects, it’s my other favorite sport and much more dynamic than soccer, meaning I can use it as a device to create a stark contrast in the story – how something so fun can become so tragic and how characters deal with the situation.
Taking inspiration from Johh Lyke's wonderful work on the basketball scenes in HBO's Winning Time, we are doing everything we can do replicate their look and feel for our film's main basketball game sequence. Check out a mock animation of our plan.
.png)
*HMUP is Hair & Make-Up
The goal is to raise $12,000 to cover numerous parts of our production, as seen above. Ultimately, every dollar counts and each one is valued equally!
If we manage to exceed our goal, those funds will go towards the post-production process!
PLEASE SHARE this page with anyone you think might be interested in our film's story and thematic purpose. Sports lovers, film lovers, anyone who you think will be moved by our short. Make sure to check out our Instagram page to follow all the latest updates on the film.
Starting Fall 2025, we plan to submit the film to various film festivals in the United States and abroad, so stay connected!
Stills from my previous work below! Check out more info on my website https://marcusquinn.art/
Pinkies (2024)
2024 NYU New Visions New Voices Film Festival: Best Film Finalist, Lead Actor Winner, Acting Ensemble Winner, and Cinematography Winner
2024 New York Shorts International Film Festival: Official Selection
Phoenix (2023)
2024 Yale Student Film Festival: Best Editing Nominee
The Color of Your Skin (2022)
2023 SFVA Film Festival at Saint John's University: Best Narrative Short
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Rollerblade Camera Operator
Costs $1,000
With the help of oniceperspectives.com, we want to capture the genuine adrenaline rush of the film's main basketball sequence.
Extra Lenses and Lights (Rentals)
Costs $1,000
Though NYU provides a lot of our camera equipment, we need to rent a few extra things (lenses, lights) to enhance the film's look even more!
High School
Costs $2,000
Our film's main location is a high school with a basketball court. The core conflicts occur here!
Production Design
Costs $1,000
To create the world of the story, we need various production design elements and props for Alex's home and the high school.
Custom Basketball Kits and Hair/Makeup
Costs $1,000
For the film's basketball game sequence, a match between two high schools, we will need custom kits/jerseys.
Transportation
Costs $1,250
A big consideration when making a film is how things get around (equipment, people on the film). This will ensure we ease that process.
Food and Craft Services
Costs $4,000
Food is the fuel of any film set. In our case, it's a large sum due to the vast amount of people (roughly 75 people) involved in this shoot.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Intimacy Coordinator & Medic
Costs $750
Due to the nature of our film's story and core conflict, we want to manage the set sensibly and safely.
Share this update!
About This Team
Marcus Quinn - Writer / Director / Editor
Marcus Quinn is a French-American and award-winning filmmaker from Paris. His films have screened at the Yale Student Film Festival, New York Shorts International Film Festival, and NYU’s New Visions and Voices Film Festival. As the writer, director, and editor of The Lion of Teranga, coupled with his diverse background and passion for sports, he’s committed to telling a wholly authentic story about the intersection between friendship, sports, and abuse.
Anastasia Mirabelle - Producer
Anastasia Mirabelle is a student at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in Film and TV Production with minors in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology, and Sociology. She has appeared as an actress in several television series/movies, including hit shows Law & Order and Brilliant Minds. Currently, Anastasia is an intern at the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, where she demonstrates strong problem-solving skills and a talent for finding creative solutions in both business and artistic environments, highlighting her adaptability and leadership abilities.
Michelle Dassum - Associate Producer
As an Ecuadorian filmmaker pursuing a BFA in Film & TV Production at NYU, Michelle Dassum’s journey is shaped by a profound passion for producing and directing, enriched by her unique cultural insight and creative vision. She is committed to advancing the media landscape in Latin America through filmmaking, leveraging it as a potent tool to showcase our distinctive cultural perspectives and stories. Michelle produced Marcus' last film Pinkies.
Kevin Feng - Director of Photography
Kevin Feng is a Canadian director of photography based in New York and the winner of the 2024 NYU New Visions + Voices Cinematography Award. His narrative work has been showcased at the New York Shorts International Film Festival and the Seattle Film Festival. In the commercial world, his projects have been featured in Harper's Bazaar, and he has worked with brands such as Ford, Lincoln, Hyundai, and Genesis. Kevin was the cinematographer of Marcus' last film Pinkies.
Victoria Mezquita - Production Designer
Victoria Mezquita is an Argentinian director and production designer based in NYC. She was a finalist at the 2024 NYU Fusion Film Festival and NYU’s New Visions and Voices Film Festival for her short film Venus and music video Not My Type. Beyond film, Vicky has made an impact as a social media influencer, collaborating with major brands such as Netflix, HBO, L’Oréal, YSL, La Roche-Posay, and MAC Cosmetics, among others. Her work seamlessly blends storytelling, aesthetics, and brand innovation, making her a dynamic force in both film and digital media. Vicky was the production designer of Marcus' last film Pinkies.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our film follows Alex (17, French-Senegalese), a high school basketball player who, while pursuing to win a championship with his team, becomes involved in a tragic incident.
With his friend Max (17, Afro-Latino), they are the stars of their team. After they win the game that qualifies them to the playoffs, a first step towards these teens’ future as black athletes, their coach invites Alex into his office to have a word.
For the rest of the story, Max tries to understand his friend’s ongoing situation – Alex seems to have lost touch with the game of basketball – causing a rift in their friendship.
In Wolof, Teranga means warmth and hospitality — a core value in Senegalese culture. On the other hand, Alex is a ferocious lion on the court, which can help, as he plays with intensity, but that same fire often holds him back. He hasn’t learned that warmth.
^^^^STILLS FROM OUR PRE-VIZ SHOOT // Link to the video!
Looking back, I’ve mostly made films about characters facing the consequences of tragedies. In most of them, they change, but whether or not they ultimately overcome the tragedy remains ambiguous. I want to tell a story where the characters do manage to get past one and start believing in a better future.
I come from a diverse family and I imbue my films with as much diversity as I can no matter the topic. In this instance, it’s a sports film, and as an avid sports lover, this is something I've always wanted to make. Not many know this, but the real reason I stopped playing soccer was in part because I wasn’t good enough, but also because the staff kept forcing us to take showers naked, almost shaming us for not doing it. And it reached a point where I couldn’t continue. I wasn't comfortable with it and didn't know how to talk about it to anyone, so I just quit. We later found out the head coach was fired due to pedophilia allegations. I haven’t been able to say this to many people until now, over a decade later, so I want to show characters that do overcome this type of obstacle and do what I couldn’t.
In this story, Alex is sexually abused by his coach and attempts to hide it from the world.
My experience is certainly not the same as sexual abuse or pedophilia, but I distinctly remember this really driving me down. I have a tough time opening up to people, sometimes, particularly my closest friends. I see myself in Alex and I want to explore these traits through this film.
So why basketball? Apart from its logistical aspects, it’s my other favorite sport and much more dynamic than soccer, meaning I can use it as a device to create a stark contrast in the story – how something so fun can become so tragic and how characters deal with the situation.
Taking inspiration from Johh Lyke's wonderful work on the basketball scenes in HBO's Winning Time, we are doing everything we can do replicate their look and feel for our film's main basketball game sequence. Check out a mock animation of our plan.
*HMUP is Hair & Make-Up
The goal is to raise $12,000 to cover numerous parts of our production, as seen above. Ultimately, every dollar counts and each one is valued equally!
If we manage to exceed our goal, those funds will go towards the post-production process!
PLEASE SHARE this page with anyone you think might be interested in our film's story and thematic purpose. Sports lovers, film lovers, anyone who you think will be moved by our short. Make sure to check out our Instagram page to follow all the latest updates on the film.
Starting Fall 2025, we plan to submit the film to various film festivals in the United States and abroad, so stay connected!
Stills from my previous work below! Check out more info on my website https://marcusquinn.art/
Pinkies (2024)
2024 NYU New Visions New Voices Film Festival: Best Film Finalist, Lead Actor Winner, Acting Ensemble Winner, and Cinematography Winner
2024 New York Shorts International Film Festival: Official Selection
Phoenix (2023)
2024 Yale Student Film Festival: Best Editing Nominee
The Color of Your Skin (2022)
2023 SFVA Film Festival at Saint John's University: Best Narrative Short
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Rollerblade Camera Operator
Costs $1,000
With the help of oniceperspectives.com, we want to capture the genuine adrenaline rush of the film's main basketball sequence.
Extra Lenses and Lights (Rentals)
Costs $1,000
Though NYU provides a lot of our camera equipment, we need to rent a few extra things (lenses, lights) to enhance the film's look even more!
High School
Costs $2,000
Our film's main location is a high school with a basketball court. The core conflicts occur here!
Production Design
Costs $1,000
To create the world of the story, we need various production design elements and props for Alex's home and the high school.
Custom Basketball Kits and Hair/Makeup
Costs $1,000
For the film's basketball game sequence, a match between two high schools, we will need custom kits/jerseys.
Transportation
Costs $1,250
A big consideration when making a film is how things get around (equipment, people on the film). This will ensure we ease that process.
Food and Craft Services
Costs $4,000
Food is the fuel of any film set. In our case, it's a large sum due to the vast amount of people (roughly 75 people) involved in this shoot.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Intimacy Coordinator & Medic
Costs $750
Due to the nature of our film's story and core conflict, we want to manage the set sensibly and safely.
Share this update!
About This Team
Marcus Quinn - Writer / Director / Editor
Marcus Quinn is a French-American and award-winning filmmaker from Paris. His films have screened at the Yale Student Film Festival, New York Shorts International Film Festival, and NYU’s New Visions and Voices Film Festival. As the writer, director, and editor of The Lion of Teranga, coupled with his diverse background and passion for sports, he’s committed to telling a wholly authentic story about the intersection between friendship, sports, and abuse.
Anastasia Mirabelle - Producer
Anastasia Mirabelle is a student at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in Film and TV Production with minors in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology, and Sociology. She has appeared as an actress in several television series/movies, including hit shows Law & Order and Brilliant Minds. Currently, Anastasia is an intern at the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, where she demonstrates strong problem-solving skills and a talent for finding creative solutions in both business and artistic environments, highlighting her adaptability and leadership abilities.
Michelle Dassum - Associate Producer
As an Ecuadorian filmmaker pursuing a BFA in Film & TV Production at NYU, Michelle Dassum’s journey is shaped by a profound passion for producing and directing, enriched by her unique cultural insight and creative vision. She is committed to advancing the media landscape in Latin America through filmmaking, leveraging it as a potent tool to showcase our distinctive cultural perspectives and stories. Michelle produced Marcus' last film Pinkies.
Kevin Feng - Director of Photography
Kevin Feng is a Canadian director of photography based in New York and the winner of the 2024 NYU New Visions + Voices Cinematography Award. His narrative work has been showcased at the New York Shorts International Film Festival and the Seattle Film Festival. In the commercial world, his projects have been featured in Harper's Bazaar, and he has worked with brands such as Ford, Lincoln, Hyundai, and Genesis. Kevin was the cinematographer of Marcus' last film Pinkies.
Victoria Mezquita - Production Designer
Victoria Mezquita is an Argentinian director and production designer based in NYC. She was a finalist at the 2024 NYU Fusion Film Festival and NYU’s New Visions and Voices Film Festival for her short film Venus and music video Not My Type. Beyond film, Vicky has made an impact as a social media influencer, collaborating with major brands such as Netflix, HBO, L’Oréal, YSL, La Roche-Posay, and MAC Cosmetics, among others. Her work seamlessly blends storytelling, aesthetics, and brand innovation, making her a dynamic force in both film and digital media. Vicky was the production designer of Marcus' last film Pinkies.