NEW YORK, NY; March 29, 2017 - Filmmakers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon are producing and directing MUHAMMAD ALI, a two-part, four-hour documentary about the legendary boxer, Florentine Films and PBS announced today. Production began in early 2016 and the filmmakers anticipate a broadcast premiere in 2021 on PBS.
Muhammad Ali may be the most iconic figure of the 20th century. He arrived at exactly the right moment, amidst the tumult and upheaval of the 1960s, and he shaped his times with his powerful voice, mesmerizing presence, and achievements in the ring, said Ken Burns. But beyond the astonishing athletic gifts and mountain of charisma, there's a very complex, dynamic man whose life story has yet to receive the comprehensive treatment it deserves.
Sarah Burns said, Muhammad Ali's passing last year gave us reason to celebrate his boxing feats as well as his contributions as an ambassador for human rights, and as a voice and symbol of pacifism. But it's easy to forget how divisive a figure he was, proudly associating with the Nation of Islam, refusing induction into the Army before the Vietnam War had become deeply unpopular. We're eager to get beyond the archetypes and examine who and what influenced his choices, and how he maintained the courage of his convictions when those choices seemed to go against the tide.
David McMahon said, Ali is among the most well-documented figures of the 20th century, filmed and photographed by the finest documentarians of his day. He was strikingly handsome, profoundly charismatic and knew how to draw a crowd and what to do once the cameras were rolling. We're eager to pull all of this extraordinary material, as well as the thoughts and perspectives of the many eyewitnesses to his life, into what will be a vivid account of Ali's life and times.
Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1942 to a sign painter and stay-at-home mom, Muhammad Ali became one of the best-known men of the 20th century, a three-time heavyweight boxing champion who captivated millions of fans throughout the world with his mesmerizing combination of speed, grace and power in the ring, and charm and playful boasting outside of it. At the height of his fame he took American life - the racial prejudices, the religious biases, the role of celebrities, the role of sports in society - and refashioned it in his own image.
His brazen outspokenness and unsurpassed boxing skills made him a heroic symbol of black masculinity to African Americans across the country, yet at times he seemed to take pride in humiliating his black opponents. In an age of sit-ins and freedom rides aimed at ending segregation, his deep ties to the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist organization that preached separation, made him, for a time, among the most feared and reviled men in the country. At the peak of his ability, he boldly sacrificed his career by refusing to go to war in Vietnam - and though he was condemned for it, Muhammad Ali would later be celebrated as a principled pacifist.
Burns, Burns and McMahon first worked together on THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE (2013), a two-hour documentary on the five black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted in the Central Park Jogger case of 1989. Their two-part, four-hour film JACKIE ROBINSON, about the celebrated baseball trailblazer and activist, premiered on PBS in 2016. MUHAMMAD ALI will be their third collaboration.
The Better Angels Society is currently managing support opportunities for the Muhammad Ali film project and can be contacted at 413-341-3580.
About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 100 million people through television and nearly 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS' premier children's media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV - including a new 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Contact:
Brian Moriarty, DKC Public Relations, 212.981.5252; brian_moriarty@dkcnews.com
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NEW YORK, NY; March 29, 2017 - Filmmakers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon are producing and directing MUHAMMAD ALI, a two-part, four-hour documentary about the legendary boxer, Florentine Films and PBS announced today. Production began in early 2016 and the filmmakers anticipate a broadcast premiere in 2021 on PBS.
