Bill Siegel’s documentary THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI, that premiered earlier this year at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will be released in the US by Kino Lorber. The documentary film opens in New York at the IFC Center on August 23rd with a national rollout planned through the summer and fall.
THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI is not a conventional sports documentary. As befitting its extraordinary and often complex subject, the film examines Ali’s life outside the boxing ring, beginning with the announcement of his deeply held Islamic religious beliefs which were a source of controversy, and his decision to change his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali. It explores his refusal to serve in the Vietnam war (after his conscientious objector status was denied) on the grounds of protesting the racial injustice at home, and captures his passion and anger in interviews and TV appearances culled from a rich variety of archival sources.
Passionate and outspoken in his beliefs, Muhammad Ali found himself at the center of America’s controversies over race, religion, and war. THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI gives audiences the chance to experience this remarkable figure who took a strong stance on difficult issues, and transcended his fame as a celebrated sports figure to become a leader of global humanitarian efforts. His remarkable story is told through archival footage of his supporters and spiritual leaders including Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, as well as opponents of his views such as Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis. The documentary also features new interviews with those who know and have worked with Ali, including his brother Rahman, his wife Khalilah Camacho-Ali, sports journalist Robert Lipsyte and Louis Farrakhan.
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