Spelling the Dream

Name: Spelling the Dream
Genre: Documentary
Released: June 3, 2020
Duration: 82 min
Rating: 64
Cast: Ashrita Gandhari, Jacques Bailly, Jaideep Janakiram, Paige Kimble, Pawan Dhingra

2020

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Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Critic Reviews

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Spelling The Dream

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): June 3, 2020 | TV-G

Starring: Ashrita Gandhari, Jacques Bailly, Jaideep Janakiram, Paige Kimble, Pawan Dhingra, Ratnam Chitturi, Sanjay Gupta, Shourav Dasari, Srinivas Ayyagari, Valerie Browning

Summary: Spelling the Dream explores the near two decade trend of Indian American students dominating the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Since 1999, 19 out of the 23 winners have been of South-Asian descent, including the last 11 in a row. Over the course of a year leading up to the 2017 Scripps Bee, "Breaking the Bee" follows four Indian-AmericanSpelling the Dream explores the near two decade trend of Indian American students dominating the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Since 1999, 19 out of the 23 winners have been of South-Asian descent, including the last 11 in a row. Over the course of a year leading up to the 2017 Scripps Bee, "Breaking the Bee" follows four Indian-American children of different ages to learn about their family life, witness them train, explore the ups and downs of chasing a dream, and offer a candid look at what it really takes to become the best. These students are not against each other. They are against the dictionary. Come the national finals, who will be the winner standing on stage as confetti rains down, and how long will this trend last?… Expand

Director: Sam Rega

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: TV-G

Runtime: 82 min

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Critic Reviews

IndieWire Kate Erbland

Jun 4, 2020

A rousing documentary that’s equal parts inspiring, entertaining, and educational. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jun 5, 2020

Spelling the Dream is a fresh take on the competition, focusing largely on the phenomenon of Indian-American dominance over the last quarter-century. Read full review

Inkoo Kang

Jun 3, 2020

And in these troubled, terrifying times, as many of us are stuck at home simultaneously glued to, and existentially exhausted by, the news, Spelling the Dream is the kind of lighthearted but smart escapism you don't have to feel guilty about. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Nick Allen

Jun 3, 2020

Whoever advances to each respective next round, you want to root for these kids, and cherish the way they advocate for intellect at such a young age. Read full review

John Anderson

Jun 5, 2020

There is often a pulsating musical score buoying the action, such as it is; family snapshots appear, the histories of the individual kids are told, their approaches to competitive spelling are explained, and there are interviews with mothers and fathers who, someone warns, should not be stereotyped as “tiger parents.” Read full review

The Guardian Benjamin Lee

Jun 4, 2020

While it doesn’t have the same tense grip of Spellbound, it’s an amiable enough diversion. Read full review

Bilal Qureshi

Jun 5, 2020

Spelling the Dream is a film about winning, delivered with glossy visuals and a gratingly optimistic score that draws to a close with its champion showered in confetti — an obvious symbol for this overarching (and under-questioned) celebration of American multiculturalism. Read full review

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