Filmmaker Sam Pollard, one of the most prolific and important forces in contemporary documentary, will be honored by Black Public Media at its upcoming PitchBlack Awards in New York.
Pollard — who directed or co-directed four films and docuseries this year alone, including The League and Bill Russell: Legend — will receive the Bpm Trailblazer Award in a ceremony on April 25. The event is set to take place at the Stanley H. Kantor Penthouse of Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, capping the latest edition of Bpm’s PitchBLACK Forum, described as “the largest pitch competition of its kind in the United States for independent filmmakers and creative technologists who create Black content.”
“A multiple Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer-director-editor, Pollard is known for his work on a plethora of important works including: Eyes On The Prize, Maynard, MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, and Mr. Soul!,” a release noted.
Pollard — who directed or co-directed four films and docuseries this year alone, including The League and Bill Russell: Legend — will receive the Bpm Trailblazer Award in a ceremony on April 25. The event is set to take place at the Stanley H. Kantor Penthouse of Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, capping the latest edition of Bpm’s PitchBLACK Forum, described as “the largest pitch competition of its kind in the United States for independent filmmakers and creative technologists who create Black content.”
“A multiple Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer-director-editor, Pollard is known for his work on a plethora of important works including: Eyes On The Prize, Maynard, MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, and Mr. Soul!,” a release noted.
- 12/23/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
If the television universe had a better sense of poetry, Netflix’s three-part Bill Russell documentary and Showtime’s three-part Wilt Chamberlain documentary would have come out the same day. The Chamberlain doc would have gotten better ratings, but the Russell doc would have received better reviews, and then we would have discussed the relative merits of each type of success and come to the conclusion that judging either of them exclusively on that one measurement was reductive.
Instead, Sam Pollard’s Bill Russell: Legend premiered back in February, while Rob Ford and Christopher Dillon’s Goliath, about Chamberlain, will air through the rest of July on Showtime and associated platforms.
While the two documentaries about contenders for basketball greatest-of-all-time status are both solidly made examinations of their complicated subjects, neither is even the recent Goat when it comes to multi-parters about outspoken NBA centers. Steve James’ Bill Walton series for ESPN holds that crown.
Instead, Sam Pollard’s Bill Russell: Legend premiered back in February, while Rob Ford and Christopher Dillon’s Goliath, about Chamberlain, will air through the rest of July on Showtime and associated platforms.
While the two documentaries about contenders for basketball greatest-of-all-time status are both solidly made examinations of their complicated subjects, neither is even the recent Goat when it comes to multi-parters about outspoken NBA centers. Steve James’ Bill Walton series for ESPN holds that crown.
- 7/14/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Man, they didn't care about making no history. They just wanted to play ball!" Magnolia Pics unveiled an official trailer for a documentary film titled The League, premiering soon at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival in NYC. This is another new doc from the hard-working masterful doc filmmaker Sam Pollard, best known for his recent films including Mr. Soul!, MLK/FBI, Citizen Ashe, and Bill Russell: Legend. The film tells the story of the the Negro League in baseball, that was originally formed in 1920. "Executive producer Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson shed light on that history with The League, revealing how the dynamic style of Black baseball players came to define the way the game is played today. With the eye of a historian, Pollard delves into how Black professionals formed Negro League baseball, building a unique sporting culture [as well as a] community of their own." Yeah, this looks terrific. I'll definitely be watching this baseball doc this summer.
- 6/8/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
“Reggie” just began streaming on Prime Video. The documentary follows one of sport’s first and most influential megastars, beloved baseball icon and 5-time World Series champion Reggie Jackson as he contemplates his legacy as a trailblazing Black athlete fighting for dignity, respect, and a seat at the table in this intimate and revealing new film exploring his life and barrier-busting career. Jackson appears on screen as do several of his family members and fellow sports legends including Hank Aaron, Derek Jeter, Bill Russell and Julius Erving.
The movie from Amazon Studios was directed by Alex Stapleton and currently holds a perfect 100% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe says, “It’s an engrossing watch, even if you hate those Damn Yankees.” Read our full review round-up below.
See ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ spotlights NBA player’s achievements on and off the court: ‘Even for Lakers fans,...
The movie from Amazon Studios was directed by Alex Stapleton and currently holds a perfect 100% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe says, “It’s an engrossing watch, even if you hate those Damn Yankees.” Read our full review round-up below.
See ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ spotlights NBA player’s achievements on and off the court: ‘Even for Lakers fans,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
How long does a documentary need to be? Frederick Wiseman frequently goes long, and Oscar-winning “Oj: Made in America” ran nearly eight hours. Lately, with “Bill Russell: Legend” and “Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker,” streamers have embraced the “two-part documentary” — a fancy term for what used to be called a miniseries. So, while there are no limits on how much longer docs can get, it’s refreshing to see a compelling subject covered in 40 minutes or less, and doubly rewarding to realize that four of the five packaged in ShortsTV’s “2023 Oscar Nominated Short Films: Documentary” found audiences on their own merits, even without theatrical distribution.
The only one you can’t see for free is Jay Rosenblatt’s charming “How Do You Measure a Year?,” a 29-minute assembly of home-movie footage. Every year, Rosenblatt sat his daughter Ella down on her birthday and peppered her with questions,...
The only one you can’t see for free is Jay Rosenblatt’s charming “How Do You Measure a Year?,” a 29-minute assembly of home-movie footage. Every year, Rosenblatt sat his daughter Ella down on her birthday and peppered her with questions,...
- 3/11/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix and the National Football League are teaming up for the first time through new docuseries “Quarterbacks,” which will provide exclusive, unprecedented access to icons like Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota both on and off the field.
The docuseries, which has been greenlit for one season, will premiere in summer 2023 and include some of biggest moments of the 2022 season, such as Mahomes setting an NFL record for total offense on his way to winning the league and Super Bowl Mvp awards, Cousins engineering the greatest comeback in NFL history and leading the Minnesota Vikings to an NFC North Division title and Mariota taking over as the starting quarterback in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons.
Also Read:
Super Bowl Lvii Highlights: Mahomes Makes History With Second Championship Win
“We aim to give our members unprecedented access to the biggest athletes in the world, telling stories that you can’t see anywhere else,...
The docuseries, which has been greenlit for one season, will premiere in summer 2023 and include some of biggest moments of the 2022 season, such as Mahomes setting an NFL record for total offense on his way to winning the league and Super Bowl Mvp awards, Cousins engineering the greatest comeback in NFL history and leading the Minnesota Vikings to an NFC North Division title and Mariota taking over as the starting quarterback in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons.
Also Read:
Super Bowl Lvii Highlights: Mahomes Makes History With Second Championship Win
“We aim to give our members unprecedented access to the biggest athletes in the world, telling stories that you can’t see anywhere else,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
February is Black History Month, and with such a wide array of streaming options, there’s no shortage of options for learning about Black heritage and celebrating Black excellence.
Amazon Prime Video
Among the programming being promoted in Prime Video’s “Celebrating Black History Month” lineup are the new second season of “Harlem,” which follows four female friends from Harlem as they navigate their love lives and careers. There’s also the new original unscripted series “Coach Prime,” which chronicles Deion Sanders in his third year coaching football at Jackson State. Other noteworthy selections include Regina King‘s Oscar-nominated “One Night in Miami,” the acclaimed documentaries “My Name is Pauli Murray” and “I Am Not Your Negro,” the Emmy-nominated romance “Sylvie’s Love,” Spike Lee‘s “Chi-Raq,” the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” starring Jennifer Hudson, the Oscar-winning stage adaptation “Fences” from Denzel Washington, who also stars in Prime offerings “Devil in a Blue Dress...
Amazon Prime Video
Among the programming being promoted in Prime Video’s “Celebrating Black History Month” lineup are the new second season of “Harlem,” which follows four female friends from Harlem as they navigate their love lives and careers. There’s also the new original unscripted series “Coach Prime,” which chronicles Deion Sanders in his third year coaching football at Jackson State. Other noteworthy selections include Regina King‘s Oscar-nominated “One Night in Miami,” the acclaimed documentaries “My Name is Pauli Murray” and “I Am Not Your Negro,” the Emmy-nominated romance “Sylvie’s Love,” Spike Lee‘s “Chi-Raq,” the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” starring Jennifer Hudson, the Oscar-winning stage adaptation “Fences” from Denzel Washington, who also stars in Prime offerings “Devil in a Blue Dress...
- 2/9/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The life and career of Hall of Fame NBA player Bill Russell is celebrated in the Netflix documentary “Bill Russel: Legend,” released on the streaming platform February 8. On the court, Russell was a force to be reckoned with – a champion who sacrificed himself for his teammates and love of basketball. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human rights – marching with the great Martin Luther King Jr., pioneering NBA boycotts and fighting against racism.
The film is narrated by actors Jeffrey Wright and Corey Stoll and features exclusive interviews with the icon’s family and friends as well as Steph Curry, Chris Paul, “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, Jim Brown and more. Critics are unanimously praising the project that currently holds a perfect 100 freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Read our review roundup below.
See Rian Johnson on planting ‘Glass Onion’ clues in plain sight and his ‘pretty...
The film is narrated by actors Jeffrey Wright and Corey Stoll and features exclusive interviews with the icon’s family and friends as well as Steph Curry, Chris Paul, “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, Jim Brown and more. Critics are unanimously praising the project that currently holds a perfect 100 freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Read our review roundup below.
See Rian Johnson on planting ‘Glass Onion’ clues in plain sight and his ‘pretty...
- 2/9/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
Mere hours after LeBron James broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record, one held for decades by the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the two-part documentary Bill Russell: Legend debuted on Netflix.
Directed by Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI), it’s a three-hour-plus survey of the life and career of the basketball legend, civil rights icon, Boston Celtic Bill Russell. There isn’t much to talk about, stylistically or structurally. It features talking-head interviews with NBA stars present and past (as well as Barack Obama), canned music, a chronological narrative. But Legend has...
Directed by Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI), it’s a three-hour-plus survey of the life and career of the basketball legend, civil rights icon, Boston Celtic Bill Russell. There isn’t much to talk about, stylistically or structurally. It features talking-head interviews with NBA stars present and past (as well as Barack Obama), canned music, a chronological narrative. But Legend has...
- 2/8/2023
- by Corbin Smith
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix’s latest sports docuseries, “Bill Russell: Legend,” is sandwiched between its 10-part tennis series, “Break Point,” and its eight-part golf series, “Full Swing,” in a string of non-fiction programming demonstrating the streamer’s commitment to chronicling athletic excellence. Although there have been other docs made about Russell, a Boston Celtics legend who won 11 championships during his career, Netflix is calling this latest nonfiction film about the 6-foot-10-inch center the “definitive documentary.”
In the series, Oscar-nominated documentarian Sam Pollard, who recently spotlighted tennis great Arthur Ashe in “Citizen Ashe,” traces Russell’s groundbreaking career on the court as well as his role as a civil rights pioneer and activist. The doc features interviews with Russell before his death in 2022, personal archival footage and interviews with players including Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Variety spoke with Pollard about making another doc about Russell,...
In the series, Oscar-nominated documentarian Sam Pollard, who recently spotlighted tennis great Arthur Ashe in “Citizen Ashe,” traces Russell’s groundbreaking career on the court as well as his role as a civil rights pioneer and activist. The doc features interviews with Russell before his death in 2022, personal archival footage and interviews with players including Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Variety spoke with Pollard about making another doc about Russell,...
- 2/8/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Brady magically appears a few times throughout his first post-second-retirement win, “80 for Brady,” speaking to a super-fan played by Lily Tomlin. In one moment, she’s in the middle of a football throwing contest that takes place during other parts of her raucous Super Bowl adventure, and Brady offers sage advice straight from his historic quarterbacking experience: “Don’t worry about how hard you throw it—it’s all about accuracy and focus.” Tomlin’s Lou scores big using this advice, but so does director Kyle Marvin, who delivers an amiable comedy with four superstars sharing sitcom-ready antics while wearing Brady’s jersey in sequins.
Read More: ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Review: New Sam Pollard Doc Is A Solid Look At A Basketball Icon
“80 for Brady” is based on a true story about four octogenarian women from Massachusetts who traveled to the Super Bowl in 2017 and saw Brady and the...
Read More: ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Review: New Sam Pollard Doc Is A Solid Look At A Basketball Icon
“80 for Brady” is based on a true story about four octogenarian women from Massachusetts who traveled to the Super Bowl in 2017 and saw Brady and the...
- 2/8/2023
- by Nick Allen
- The Playlist
Bill Russell: Legend is a documentary directed by Samuel D. Pollard in which we can see, in addition to Bill Russell himself, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
A three hour documentary divided into two parts that analyzes his legend in basketball, but goes further in the fight for equality and what this man meant who dominated basketball like nobody else and turned the Celtics into a legend.
You can see it as of February 6 on Netflix.
Bill Russell: Legend is a documentary about the life of fantastic Bill Russell, who created a before and afterr in basketball and the NBA. The legend of the Celtics when the team from Boston ruled the league with an iron fist.
The documentary is directec by award winning Samuel D. Pollard and includes scenes with Russell himself until he died in 2022.
This is a historic document to remember...
A three hour documentary divided into two parts that analyzes his legend in basketball, but goes further in the fight for equality and what this man meant who dominated basketball like nobody else and turned the Celtics into a legend.
You can see it as of February 6 on Netflix.
Bill Russell: Legend is a documentary about the life of fantastic Bill Russell, who created a before and afterr in basketball and the NBA. The legend of the Celtics when the team from Boston ruled the league with an iron fist.
The documentary is directec by award winning Samuel D. Pollard and includes scenes with Russell himself until he died in 2022.
This is a historic document to remember...
- 2/8/2023
- by Veronica Loop
- Martin Cid - TV
Last November, HBO premiered Nelson George’s Say Hey, Willie Mays!, a sturdy documentary that explored the life of the baseball icon — including an underlying argument about Willie Mays’ role, or lack thereof, in the civil rights movement and how that shaped his public image.
George, one of our most prolific and deservedly acclaimed documentarians, has a key role as talking head in Bill Russell: Legend, a new Netflix two-parter from Sam Pollard (Citizen Ashe), one of the few filmmakers able to rival George’s steady output.
In Bill Russell: Legend, George doesn’t directly compare Mays and Russell, but sports documentary devotees will find the link to be irresistible. Russell and Mays were foundational performers whose place on the respective Mt. Rushmores of their sports wouldn’t be in question except for recency bias.
Did Russell’s prickly relationship with the Boston press and his outspokenness about key sociopolitical...
George, one of our most prolific and deservedly acclaimed documentarians, has a key role as talking head in Bill Russell: Legend, a new Netflix two-parter from Sam Pollard (Citizen Ashe), one of the few filmmakers able to rival George’s steady output.
In Bill Russell: Legend, George doesn’t directly compare Mays and Russell, but sports documentary devotees will find the link to be irresistible. Russell and Mays were foundational performers whose place on the respective Mt. Rushmores of their sports wouldn’t be in question except for recency bias.
Did Russell’s prickly relationship with the Boston press and his outspokenness about key sociopolitical...
- 2/7/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Basketball’s popularity in the U.K. sucks. I need to mention this as a British writer composing a review about the late basketball great Bill Russell. I may be asking for a small modicum of forgiveness for a possible lack of realization. A glance at his honors and I quickly realize just how stacked his career highlights are. Russell isn’t just considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time for the publicity. His award haul is an embarrassment of riches.
Continue reading ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Review: New Sam Pollard Doc Is A Solid Look At A Basketball Icon at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Review: New Sam Pollard Doc Is A Solid Look At A Basketball Icon at The Playlist.
- 2/7/2023
- by Leslie Byron Pitt
- The Playlist
On the court, Bill Russell was a force to be reckoned with – a champion who sacrificed himself for his teammates and love of basketball. Off the court, Bill Russell was a force in the fight for human rights – marching with the great Martin Luther King Jr., pioneering NBA boycotts and fighting against racism. Bill Russell: Legend tells the remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon. The remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon is captured in the documentary Bill Russell: Legend. This two-part film from award-winning director Sam Pollard features the last interview with Bill prior to his passing in 2022 as well as access to his sprawling personal archives. On the court, Russell went on to lead each and every one of his basketball teams to championships – two back-to-back NCAA titles, a gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, and...
- 1/26/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Love is in the air on Netflix in February, from new romcoms like the Reese Witherspoon-starring “Your Place or Mine” to the return of murderous stalker Joe Goldberg in “You” Season 2 part 1.
Penn Badgley has long dispelled any misnomers of his “You” character being a romantic, but Joe himself still believes that’s who he is at his core. After killing his wife and faking his own death, Joe sets off for Europe so he can find Marianne (Tati Gabrielle), the woman he convinced himself he’s in love with before she learned the truth and fled. But breaking old habits has never been easy for old Joe, who quickly gets caught up in a most dubious clique of London high society that has its own struggles with lust, power, and the occasionally fatal crime.
Here’s everything coming to Netflix in February 2023.
February 1
“Bad Boys”
“Bad Boys II...
Penn Badgley has long dispelled any misnomers of his “You” character being a romantic, but Joe himself still believes that’s who he is at his core. After killing his wife and faking his own death, Joe sets off for Europe so he can find Marianne (Tati Gabrielle), the woman he convinced himself he’s in love with before she learned the truth and fled. But breaking old habits has never been easy for old Joe, who quickly gets caught up in a most dubious clique of London high society that has its own struggles with lust, power, and the occasionally fatal crime.
Here’s everything coming to Netflix in February 2023.
February 1
“Bad Boys”
“Bad Boys II...
- 1/26/2023
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
"You know what's on his hands? More rings than fingers." Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a two-part documentary titled Bill Russell: Legend, profiling the basketball icon and his life & career. This will be streaming on Netflix starting in early February, just before the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. On the court, Bill Russell was a force to be reckoned with - a champion who sacrificed himself for his teammates and love of basketball. Off the court, Bill Russell was a force in the fight for human rights - marching with the great Martin Luther King Jr., pioneering NBA boycotts and fighting against racism. From Sam Pollard, Bill Russell: Legend tells the remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon. Featuring the last interview with Russell prior to his passing in 2022. Narrated by actors Jeffrey Wright and Corey Stoll and interviews with his family & friends as well as Steph Curry,...
- 1/25/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Friends and current/former NBA players describe Bill Russell as a stand-up man and the smartest player who ever played the game in Netflix’s official trailer for Bill Russell: Legend. The two-part documentary, which explores the NBA legend’s extraordinary life on and off the court, will premiere on the streaming service on February 8, 2023.
Sam Pollard directs and Corey Stoll (Billions) and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) narrate. Larry Gordon, Ross Greenburg, Mike Richardson, and Charles Rosenzweig serve as executive producers.
Netflix released the following description of the documentary:
“The remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon is captured in the documentary Bill Russell: Legend. This two-part film from award-winning director Sam Pollard features the last interview with Bill prior to his passing in 2022 as well as access to his sprawling personal archives. On the court, Russell went on to lead each and every one of...
Sam Pollard directs and Corey Stoll (Billions) and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) narrate. Larry Gordon, Ross Greenburg, Mike Richardson, and Charles Rosenzweig serve as executive producers.
Netflix released the following description of the documentary:
“The remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon is captured in the documentary Bill Russell: Legend. This two-part film from award-winning director Sam Pollard features the last interview with Bill prior to his passing in 2022 as well as access to his sprawling personal archives. On the court, Russell went on to lead each and every one of...
- 1/25/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Even without the title of the doc being “Bill Russell: Legend,” there’s no denying that NBA icon Bill Russell is an absolute legend in the minds of sports fans around the world. As a player, he won five Mvp trophies and 11 NBA Championships. Then, he transitioned into the role of coach, where he earned two championships. Oh, did I mention he was also playing at that time, as well?
Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2023
And as seen in the trailer for “Bill Russell: Legend,” there’s so much more to the story of one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Continue reading ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Trailer: Sam Pollard Returns With A New Doc Tackling The Life & Career Of One Of The Greatest Athletes Of All Time at The Playlist.
Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2023
And as seen in the trailer for “Bill Russell: Legend,” there’s so much more to the story of one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Continue reading ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Trailer: Sam Pollard Returns With A New Doc Tackling The Life & Career Of One Of The Greatest Athletes Of All Time at The Playlist.
- 1/25/2023
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
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