Citizen Ashe, Exploring The Legacy Of Legendary Tennis Ace & Humanitarian Arthur Ashe, Lands On CNN

Details: Category: Entertainment News; Published on Wednesday, 08 June 2022 17:56; Written by A&E Contributing Editor

The film CITIZEN ASHE, about triple Grand Slam, barrier-breaking tennis legend and global humanitarian, Arthur Ashe, will make its television premiere on CNN. The documentary will debut on the eve of the 135th Wimbledon, June 26, 2022.

Airing Sunday, June 26, at 9:00pm (EST) exclusively in the U.S. and Canada, with limited commercial interruption. Directed by Emmy® Award-winner Rex Miller and Academy Award-nominee Sam Pollard, CITIZEN ASHE is produced by Dogwoof, Sidewinder Films, and Rexpix Media for CNN Films and HBO Max.

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"I saw Arthur Ashe play in the 1968 US Open when I was six years old and always followed his career intently, as much off the court as on the court. He was a champion on the court, but was more concerned with making the world a better place. For me, the great takeaway from Arthur Ashe's life is that he urged everyone to not sit by and do nothing when you see an injustice. Arthur always said: 'start where you are, use what you have, to do what you can,'" said director Rex Miller about his inspiration for the film.

"Arthur Ashe, for me as a young African American man in the 1960s, was a trailblazer who I looked up to…having the opportunity to work on the film gave me insight into Arthur I wasn't aware of, and made who he was and what he did on and off the tennis court even more important and urgent," said Sam Pollard, director of CITIZEN ASHE.

CITIZEN ASHE is told largely in Arthur Ashe's own narrative voice, explaining his self-exploration and evolution on race relations, his family relationships, and pivotal decisions that shaped his life. The film also uses rare biographical archival film, audio, and photography, as well as newsreel coverage of his amateur and professional careers. The film features exclusive, intimate interviews with Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Johnnie Ashe; tennis legends Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Donald Dell, Charlie Pasarell, and Lenny Simpson; and activist Prof. Harry Edwards, who discuss Ashe's life and his influence on athletes who came after him.

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"It's more than time that a major telling of Ashe's important story be presented for the broad audience of television. Sam and Rex have delivered a film that explains the significant role of Arthur Ashe as a leader in leveraging his achievements to open doors for others and use his voice to push for racial justice and equality," said Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content development for CNN Worldwide. "As the first Black man to win a singles championship at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open, and the first African American Davis Cup coach, Arthur Ashe was a trailblazer. He was a global humanitarian and used his prominence to advocate against racism in America, apartheid in South Africa, and for compassion for sufferers of HIV/AIDS around the world," said Courtney Sexton, senior vice president for CNN Films. Entelis and Sexton are also executive producers for CITIZEN ASHE.

CITIZEN ASHE is produced by Beth Hubbard, Rex Miller, Dogwoof CEO Anna Godas, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Steven Cantor, and Jamie Schutz. David Acker, William Ackman, David Barden, Geralyn Dreyfous, Nina and David Fialkow, Alex Gibney, Patty Quillin, Rick Rosenthal, Regina K. Scully, Tony Tabatznik, David Ulich, Steven Ungerleider, and Mike Jackson on behalf of Get Lifted Film Co. and his partners, John Legend and Ty Stiklorius, are executive producers for the film.

During the June 26 premiere, CITIZEN ASHE, will stream live for subscribers via CNN.com and CNN mobile apps under "TV Channels." The film will be available on demand via CNN.com, CNN apps, and cable operator platforms beginning Monday, June 27. While watching the film, viewers can interact with other viewers across social media platforms by using the hashtag #CitizenAshe. CITIZEN ASHE will encore Saturday, July 2 at 9:00pm Eastern on CNN.

The world premiere of CITIZEN ASHE took place at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival, before its exhibition in theaters by Magnolia Pictures.

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About CNN Films

CNN Films produces and acquires documentary feature and short films for theatrical and festival exhibition and distribution across CNN's multiple platforms. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development, oversees the strategy for CNN Films; Courtney Sexton, senior vice president for CNN Films, works day-to-day with filmmakers to oversee projects.

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Acclaimed CNN Films include JULIA, the surprising biography of chef, television star, and author, Julia Child, from filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen, who previously directed the Academy Award®-nominated RBG, about the life and legacy of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; CITIZEN ASHE, directed by Sam Pollard and Rex Miller, about tennis great and humanitarian Arthur Ashe; Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, executive produced with HBO Max, directed by Morgan Neville; DIONNE WARWICK: Don't Make Me Over, about the singer and humanitarian, directed by Dave Wooley; and, The Last Movie Stars, executive produced for HBO Max, about the lives and careers of actors and humanitarians Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, directed by Ethan Hawke. For more information about CNN Films, please visit www.CNN.com/CNNFilms, follow @CNNFilms via Twitter, and join Keep Watching, an exclusive, members-only community for CNN Films & CNN Original Series https://cnn.it/3qTScB4.