Citizen Ashe is a 2021 American-British documentary film directed by Rex Miller and Sam Pollard revolving around the life and career of Arthur Ashe. Alex Gibney and John Legend were two of the executive producers.
| Citizen Ashe | |
|---|---|
 Promotional release poster | |
| Directed by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Edited by |
|
| Music by | Jongnic Bontemps |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 95 minutes |
| Countries |
|
| Language | English |
Its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2021 was followed by a limited release by Magnolia Pictures on December 3, 2021.
Synopsis
editCitizen Ashe tells the story of tennis champion and civil rights activist Arthur Ashe, as he rises to prominence after becoming the first African American to win the US Open in 1968. The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy jumpstart Ashe's political activism and provide him with a platform for social change.[1] Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Johnnie Ashe, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Donald Dell, Lenny Simpson and Harry Edwards appear in the film.[2]
Production
editIn July 2021, it was announced that Miller and Pollard had directed a film revolving around the life of Ashe, with CNN Films producing and HBO Max distributing.[3]
Release
editIt had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2021.[4] It was also screened at the Camden International Film Festival on September 19, 2021.[5] It had a limited release on December 3, 2021, by Magnolia Pictures.[6]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 32 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's consensus reads: "If Citizen Ashe sometimes wavers toward hagiography, this warm tribute to an extraordinary life makes it easy to understand why."[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[8]
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | FOCAL International Awards | Nominee - Best Use of Footage in a Cinematic Feature
Nominee - Best Use of Footage in a Sports Production |
| 2022 | Black Reel Awards | Nominee - Outstanding Documentary |
References
edit- ^ Vlessing, Etan (15 July 2021). "CNN Films, HBO Max Nab 'Citizen Ashe' Doc for 2022 Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "CNN Films and HBO Max Partner to Bring Citizen Ashe to Screens; Film is Produced by Dogwoof, Rexpix and Stick Figure Productions". CNN. July 15, 2021. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ Ferme, Antonio (July 15, 2021). "CNN Films to Explore Arthur Ashe's Legacy On Tennis And HIV Activism In New Documentary". Variety. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ Hammond, Pete (September 1, 2021). "Telluride Film Festival: Will Smith's 'King Richard', Peter Dinklage Musical 'Cyrano', Joaquin Phoenix In 'C'mon C'mon', Ken Branagh's 'Belfast' Set To Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- "Telluride Film Festival Program Guide" (PDF). Telluride Film Festival. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021. - ^ "The Camden International Film Festival Announces Its 2021 Hybrid Edition Lineup". Filmmaker. August 23, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- "Citizen Ashe". Points North Institute. Retrieved September 3, 2021. - ^ Davis, Clayton (October 8, 2021). "Magnolia Pictures Boards Documentary 'Citizen Ashe' for Oscar-Qualifying Theatrical Run". Variety. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ "Citizen Ashe". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ "Citizen Ashe". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
External links
edit- Citizen Ashe at IMDb