"On and off the court, an activist for equality."
A profile of the remarkable life and career of tennis legend Billie Jean King, both on and off the court.
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The people behind it
Billie Jean King
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A "Passing Parade" MGM short featuring tennis star Alice Marble
"Renee" tells the story of Renee Richards' battle to enter the 1977 U.S. Open as the first transgender tennis player. Simultaneously, it follows her today as she struggles to cope with a life of contradictions and personal conflict. Through interviews with tennis legends, family, friends and experts from the transgender field, a story of perseverance, breakthrough and hardship unfolds.
Explore the extraordinary journey of tennis GOAT Novak Djokovic, who began playing on the hardscrabble courts of Serbia and rose to become the most accomplished champion in the history of men's tennis.
Having won 250 tournaments, including 83 without losing a single game, 3 Olympic medals, 6 Wimbledon titles and only suffered 7 defeats, Suzanne Lenglen (1899-1938) left an indelible mark on world tennis. Away from the court, the French tennis player was also a feminist icon and talented writer.
We know about the swing. We know about the swagger. But what most Americans don't know about Venus Williams is how she changed the course of her sport. In a stunning case that captured the European public beginning in 2005, Williams challenged the long-held practice of paying women tennis players less than their male counterparts at Wimbledon. With a deep sense of obligation to the legacy of Billie Jean King, Williams lobbied British Parliament, UNESCO and Fleet Street for financial parity. And it was her poignant op-ed piece in The London Times that convinced many people that the Wimbledon tournament organizers were "on the wrong side of history." Roland Garros and Wimbledon finally relented in 2007. That year at Wimbledon, Venus became the first women's champion to earn as much as the men's singles winner (Roger Federer). VENUS VS. chronicles Williams' fight for pay equality.
In this exclusive first person account, Johnnie Ashe will relay this previously unknown chapter of his brother Arthur's legacy. Johnnie, five years Arthur's junior, returned from his first tour in Vietnam with the Marines. At the time, Arthur Ashe was a lieutenant in the Army working at West Point in data processing while fast becoming a rising star in the tennis world. When Johnnie was sent home however, Arthur suddenly became in danger of being sent to Vietnam. Johnnie volunteered to be sent back to the war in his brother's place so that Arthur could continue his budding tennis career. Johnnie would return home, and Arthur would go on to win the inaugural 1968 U.S. Open en route to a Hall of Fame career in tennis, made possible by his brother's selflessness.
Aravane Rézaï hates tennis. Yet, at the age of 23, she won the Madrid Open, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. She bested some of the biggest names in women's tennis, including Venus Williams, Justine Henin, and Marion Bartoli. The road to being named world champion was open to her. Then, at 24, she disappeared from the circuit overnight. Today, Rézaï is 37 and making a comeback, aiming to return to the world's top 10. To get there, she has called on her old coach: her father, the man behind her past success—and suffering. Through the prism of this sporting challenge, And Still I Rise examines the relationship between a father and his daughter, and her ability to achieve emancipation.
A behind the scenes look with Anna Kournikova at her 2003 calendar photo shoot and trip to Mexico.
Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest tennis players of all time. With 86 ATP singles titles, 37 Masters events and 20 Grand Slam's, few tennis players have achieved what Djokovic has. Currently ranked world number one and a record total of 365 weeks on top, Djokovic has dominated the sport for the last 10 years. Things have not always been easy for the world number one. Born in war-torn Belgrade, Serbia, Djokovic developed his skills in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Despite this he rose to the top of the professional tennis rankings, becoming a national icon and a symbol of unity for the Serbian people.
Enjoy the highlights and most memorable moments from Wimbledon 2005 with this compilation of clips that celebrates the 119th year of the prestigious tennis tournament. Centre Court highlights capture Roger Federer's triumph over Andy Roddick and Venus Williams's comeback from match point in the third set to defeat 2004 champion Maria Sharapova in a thrilling game. The program also includes doubles, semi-finals and quarter-finals highlights.
1972 was a turning point in Ilie Nastase's career: he won his first US Open, while also reaching both Wimbledon and Davis Cup finals. Moving back and forth in time and featuring amazing archive footage and exclusive interviews with top athletes, the documentary explores Nastase's highs and lows, the controversies that surrounded him and the enduring impact he has had on the world of tennis. Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene, Mr. Nice'n'Nasty disrupted the old-fashioned etiquette of the sport in the 70s thus becoming its first rebel rock star.
The Williams Sisters. Dominating the game for over 3 decades, Serena Williams and Venus Williams, winning every title imaginable. From inexperienced teenagers to seasoned vets nobody could have predicted the sisters' careers.
An immersive film essay on tennis legend John McEnroe at the height of his career as the world champion, documenting his strive for perfection, frustrations, and the hardest loss of his career at the 1984 Roland-Garros French Open.
The first time Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova stepped onto a tennis court together, the world scarcely noticed. Only a few hundred spectators saw the pert 18-year-old beat the scrappy 16-year-old Czech in 1973. “I remember that she was fat,” Evert recalled. “She was very emotional on the court, whining if she didn't feel she was playing well. But I remember thinking, if she loses weight, we’re all in trouble.” Said Navratilova, “My goal was for her to remember my name.” Eighty matches later – amid the extraordinary growth of women’s tennis – Evert not only remembered, but became a tried and true friend and confidante, remarkable considering the two appeared to be polar opposites in upbringing, life styles and personal relationships. Through a series of personal conversations, this documentary will tell the story of one of the greatest one-on-one sports rivalries and capture these two extraordinary athletes’ views on tennis and an ever-changing world.
Follows the life and career of Arthur Ashe.
"Boris Becker - The Player" is a rousing and emotional portrait of one of the greatest German sports heroes ever! It shows us the person Boris Becker up close: We experience him as a privateer, trainer, businessman and as a loving husband and father.
The Official Film, narrated by Billie Jean King
Under pressure to continue a winning tradition in American tennis, Mardy Fish faced mental health challenges that changed his life on and off the court.
Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.
Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE, and his forays in the entertainment world.
Filmed over 14 months with unprecedented access into the inner circle of the man and the sport, this is the first official and fully authorised film of one of the most celebrated figures in football. For the first time ever, the world gets vividly candid and un-paralleled, behind-closed-doors access to the footballer, father, family-man and friend in this moving & fascinating documentary. Through in-depth conversations, state of the art football footage and never before seen archival footage, the film gives an astonishing insight into the sporting and personal life of triple Ballon D'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his career. From the makers of ‘Senna’ and ‘Amy’, Ronaldo takes audiences on an intimate and revealing journey of what it’s like to live as an iconic athlete in the eye of the storm.
A raw and emotionally revealing look at one of the most iconic artists of our time during a transformational period in her life as she learns to embrace her role not only as a songwriter and performer, but as a woman harnessing the full power of her voice.
Musician Jon Batiste attempts to compose a symphony as his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, undergoes cancer treatment.
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
As a visually radical memoir, CAMERAPERSON draws on the remarkable footage that filmmaker Kirsten Johnson has shot and reframes it in ways that illuminate moments and situations that have personally affected her. What emerges is an elegant meditation on the relationship between truth and the camera frame, as Johnson transforms scenes that have been presented on Festival screens as one kind of truth into another kind of story—one about personal journey, craft, and direct human connection.
Lyrical and powerfully personal essay film that reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, her beloved dog, and such diverse subjects as family memories, surveillance, and Buddhist teachings.
Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.
Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.
“Showrunners” is the first ever feature length documentary film to explore the fascinating world of US television showrunners and the creative forces aligned around them. These are the people responsible for creating, writing and overseeing every element of production on one of the United State’s biggest exports – television drama and comedy series. Often described as the most complex job in the entertainment business, a showrunner is the chief writer / producer on a TV series and, in most instances, the show’s creator. Battling daily between art and commerce, showrunners manage every aspect of a TV show’s development and production: creative, financial and logistical.
Constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, this documentary centers on the personal life and career of the controversial football player Diego Maradona who played for SSC Napoli and Argentina in the 1980s.
A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.
Driven by passion fed from a life-long fascination with sharks, Rob Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas.
A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.
Interviews with leading authors, philosophers and scientists, with an in-depth discussion of the Law of Attraction. The audience is shown how they can learn and use 'The Secret' in their everyday lives.
Antwerp, 2003. A gang of thieves rob the impenetrable Diamond Center. Who was behind one of the world's biggest heists - and how did they pull it off?
Supermensch documents the astounding career of Hollywood insider, the loveable Shep Gordon, who fell into music management by chance after moving to LA straight out of college, and befriending Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Shep managed rock stars such as Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass and Alice Cooper, and later went on to manage chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, ushering in the era of celebrity chefs on television.
