July, 1936 on the SS Manhattan. L-R: James LuValle, 400m Bronze Medalist; Archie Williams, 400m Gold Medalist; John Woodruff, 800m Gold Medalist; Cornelius Johnson, High Jump Gold Medalist; Mack Robinson, 200m Silver Medalist. The photo was taken on July, 1936 on the SS Manhattan. Photo credit: Olympic Pride, American Prejudice LLC.
LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK (July 25, 2016) – Coffee Bluff Pictures announces the theatrical release of Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, a film directed by Deborah Riley Draper (Versailles “73: American Runway Revolution) and narrated by Blair Underwood on August 5 at Cinema Village in New York and in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Monica Film Center. The director will be in attendance for Q&As at select shows. The film enjoyed a sold-out world premiere as an official selection in the documentary category at the Los Angeles Film Festival and is also an official selection at the 2016 Traverse City Film Festival. The film will open in 10 additional cities in September.
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice follows 18 African Americans, 16 men and 2 women, who defied Jim Crow and Adolf Hitler to win hearts and medals at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games. While the world is familiar with Jesse Owens' story, this film tells the largely unknown story of the 17 other black Olympians. Though their untold stories faded into obscurity, their presence on the world stage in 1936 remains a seminal precursor to the modern American Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for equality in sports.
"Olympic Pride, American Prejudice is a deeply inspiring and emotional film that examines race, sports and implicit bias during the 1930s through the eyes and voices of 18 young Black Olympians, who laid the groundwork for so many movements,” said Deborah Riley Draper, Writer/Director. “Their experiences are as relevant today as they were 80 years ago.”
The film weaves rarely seen archival footage and photos with interviews of Carl Lewis, Isiah Thomas, Anita DeFrantz, Ambassador Andrew Young and Lonnie Bunch, III among others, including the families of the 1936 Black Olympians, German 1936 Olympics spectators and sports historians.
“Olympic Pride, American Prejudice is a film for all ages and for the ages,” says Blair Underwood, the film’s Narrator and Executive Producer. “Generations to come will be inspired by the perseverance, courage and patriotism of these 18 African American Athletes that faced Jim Crow America AND Nazi Germany during Berlin's 1936 Olympics. I am honored and proud to play but a small role in singing their praises!”
79 minutes * unrated * USA/Germany* 2016 * www.1936olympicsmovie.com
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