'Spelling the Dream': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the Netflix documentary

The documentary will chronicle how Indian-American competitors have dominated the Spelling Bee for the past 12 years

BY NEETHA K

PUBLISHED MAY 6, 2020

This year, for the first time since the Second World War, the Scripps National Spelling Bee was forced to cancel its finals because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. During last year's historic finals, eight competitors were declared the joint winners after the organizers ran out of words to test them with.

Undoubtedly, this year's cancelation is sad news for many, especially for those competitors who would be past the age of eligibility next year. Strict preparation goes into the lives of these students and an upcoming Netflix documentary will help viewers understand exactly what is at stake for them.

Release date

'Spelling the Dream' will be available to stream on Netflix on May 23.

Plot

An Indian-American competitor has won the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee for the past 12 years straight, making the trend one of the longest in sports history. 'Spelling the Dream' chronicles the ups and downs of four Indian-American students as they compete to realize their dream of winning the iconic tournament.

With fascinating perspectives from CNN's Dr Sanjay Gupta and Fareed Zakaria, comedian Hari Kondabolu, ESPN's Kevin Negandhi, 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner, Nupur Lala, and others, the film explores the reasons behind this incredible winning streak and what it means for the community.

Cast

The spellers, aged 7-14, include Akash Vukoti, who was the second-youngest participant ever to reach the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a six-year-old in 2016. He is already a Mensa member and has been competing in spelling bees since he was two. The others who appear in the film are Ashrita Gandhari, Shourav Dasari, and Tejas Muthusamy.

Director

'Spelling the Dream' was directed by Sam Rega who is known for his work on 'Dawg Fight', 'League of Millions', 'Miami Noir: The Arthur E Teele Story', and 'The Tanning of America'. The documentary is produced by Chris Weller who is known for his work on 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK'.