The highly anticipated Heart and Sole: The Dylan Kalambay Story documentary film directed by Michael Hamilton (CBC’s Anyone’s Game, Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash’s documentary Nash), produced by Game Seven Media (Netflix’s Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators) world premieres in Toronto this month.

In November of 2020, Toronto high school basketball star Dylan Kalambay’s world turned upside down. He experienced heart failure at the young age of 16. Over the next six months he had open heart surgery and not long after, thanks to the generosity of an organ donor and their family, Dylan received a life-saving heart transplant. In the fall of 2021, after a long and challenging recovery, Dylan stepped back onto the court to pursue his dream of obtaining an NCAA Division 1 basketball scholarship, and becoming the first player ever to do so with a donated heart.

Heart and Sole features Toronto Raptors world champion and NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, and the parents of Humboldt Broncos ice hockey player and organ donor Logan Boulet, who inspired more than 100,000 people to become registered organ donors following the Humboldt bus crash in 2018.

The film takes viewers on a winding and unlikely journey as Dylan pursues his dreams both on and off the court, and continues to try and comprehend his second chance at life, his new identity as a basketball player and transplant recipient, and a desire to connect with his donor family to learn more about the person that lost their life in order for him to continue his.

“I thought it would be inspiring to share my journey with those who might be going through challenges or going through the same thing as me,” says the 6’10 Toronto-born basketball star of Congolese descent, who’s played for Canada Basketball’s U16 national team. “I think this film might connect with people coming from all different walks of life, demographics and cultures, who might not know about the heart transplant process.”

Heart and Sole will have its premiere screening on October 14, 2023 at University of Toronto’s Innis College Town Hall Theatre.

This screening is presented by Canadian Blood Services and will be followed by a panel discussion hosted by On Point Basketball’s Drew Ebanks, featuring student-athlete Dylan Kalambay, Director Michael Hamilton, Toby and Bernadine Boulet, and pediatric cardiologist at Sick Kids Hospital Dr. Aamir Jeewa.

For more information on the Heart and Sole and tickets, please click here.