Althea Screengrab Square
A new documentary commemorating the sheer talent and awesome impact of tennis legend Althea Gibson will premiere August 29th at the upcoming Gold Coast International Film Festival. Althea, directed by Rex Miller, will underscore the power and importance as the first black woman to win the respect--and grand slam trophies--of an almost entirely whitewashed and upper class sport. The daughter of a South Carolinian sharecropper, Gibson rose through the tightly-segregated ranks of womens tennis, finally winning titles at Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958. The athletic powerhouse and boundary-breaker also won titles at the U.S. Nationals tournament--a precursor to the U.S. Open.
Now, trough archival footage and interviews with those who knew Gibson best, Miller's Althea renders the woman in a more complete profile than has ever been offered; determined, conflicted and athletically brilliant in ways rarely, if ever, equalled. Her career became a victory for those fighting racial, gender and class discrimination--but beneath all of her trophies and historical accolades there was also a woman beset by hardship and inner conflict. It's this nuance that Althea brings to the surface.
The new documentary is the centerpiece of the Gold Coast film festival, and its August 29th debut will bring Miller to Soundview Cinemas in Port Washington, New York for a live discussion with the lucky attendees. Watch the official trailer for Althea below and if you're on the East Coast, make some plans to catch the world premiere.
