{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Citizen Ashe | image = Citizen Ashe.jpg | alt = Poster featuring a tennis player. | caption = Promotional release poster | director = {{Plainlist| * Rex Miller * Sam Pollard }} | producer = {{Plainlist| * Rex Miller * Steven Cantor * Anna Godas * Jamie Schultz * Beth Hubbard * Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe }} | writer = | starring = | music = Jongnic Bontemps | cinematography = | editing = {{Plainlist| * Lewis Rapkin * R.A. Fedde * Federico Rosenzvit * Ben Sozanski }} | production_companies = {{Plainlist| * CNN Films * Dogwoof * Stick Figure Productions * Rexpix * Get Lifted Film Company * Artemis Rising }} | distributor = {{Plainlist| * Magnolia Pictures * HBO Max }} | released = {{Film date|2021|9|3|Telluride|2021|12|3|United States}} | runtime = 95 minutes | country = {{Plainlist| * United States * United Kingdom }} | language = English | budget = | gross = }} '''''Citizen Ashe''''' is a 2021 documentary film directed by Rex Miller and Sam Pollard revolving around the life and career of Arthur Ashe. Alex Gibney and John Legend were two of the executive producers.
Its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2021, was followed by a limited release by Magnolia Pictures on December 3, 2021.
==Synopsis== ''Citizen Ashe'' tells the story of tennis champion and civil rights activist Arthur Ashe, as he rises to prominence after becoming the first African American to win the US Open in 1968. The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy jumpstart Ashe's political activism and provide him with a platform for social change.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vlessing |first1=Etan |title=CNN Films, HBO Max Nab 'Citizen Ashe' Doc for 2022 Release |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cnn-films-hbo-max-nab-citizen-ashe-doc-for-2022-release-1234982212/ |access-date=2 December 2022 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |date=15 July 2021}}</ref> Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Johnnie Ashe, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Donald Dell, Lenny Simpson and Harry Edwards appear in the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2021/07/15/cnn-films-and-hbo-max-partner-to-bring-citizen-ashe-to-screens-film-is-produced-by-dogwoof-rexpix-and-stick-figure-productions/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715190848/https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2021/07/15/cnn-films-and-hbo-max-partner-to-bring-citizen-ashe-to-screens-film-is-produced-by-dogwoof-rexpix-and-stick-figure-productions/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2021|title=CNN Films and HBO Max Partner to Bring Citizen Ashe to Screens; Film is Produced by Dogwoof, Rexpix and Stick Figure Productions|website=CNN|date=July 15, 2021|access-date=September 3, 2021}}</ref>
==Production== In July 2021, it was announced that Miller and Pollard had directed a film revolving around the life of Ashe, with CNN Films producing and HBO Max distributing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/arthur-ashe-documentary-cnn-films-tennis-hiv-activism-1235020176/|title=CNN Films to Explore Arthur Ashe's Legacy On Tennis And HIV Activism In New Documentary|website=Variety|first=Antonio|last=Ferme|date=July 15, 2021|access-date=September 3, 2021}}</ref>
==Release== ''Citizen Ashe'' had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/telluride-film-festival-2021-lineup-king-richard-cyrano-1234825309/|title=Telluride Film Festival: Will Smith's 'King Richard', Peter Dinklage Musical 'Cyrano', Joaquin Phoenix In 'C'mon C'mon', Ken Branagh's 'Belfast' Set To Premiere|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Pete|last=Hammond|date=September 1, 2021|access-date=September 3, 2021}}<br>- {{cite web|url=http://telluridecms-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/pdfs/48th-TFF-program-guide.pdf|title=Telluride Film Festival Program Guide|publisher=Telluride Film Festival|access-date=September 3, 2021|archive-date=September 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901170501/http://telluridecms-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/pdfs/48th-TFF-program-guide.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> It also screened at the Camden International Film Festival on September 19, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/112152-the-camden-international-film-festival-announces-its-2021-lineup/|title=The Camden International Film Festival Announces Its 2021 Hybrid Edition Lineup|website=Filmmaker|date=August 23, 2021|access-date=September 3, 2021}}<br>- {{cite web|url=https://pointsnorthinstitute.org/films/citizen-ashe/?parent=/ciff/films/?sections=[%22Harrell%20Award%22|title=Citizen Ashe|publisher=Points North Institute|access-date=September 3, 2021}}</ref> It received a limited release on December 3, 2021, by Magnolia Pictures.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/citizen-ashe-magnolia-pictures-theatrical-oscars-qualifying-1235083904/|title=Magnolia Pictures Boards Documentary 'Citizen Ashe' for Oscar-Qualifying Theatrical Run|website=Variety|first=Clayton|last=Davis|date=October 8, 2021|access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|97|7.6|32|If ''Citizen Ashe'' sometimes wavers toward hagiography, this warm tribute to an extraordinary life makes it easy to understand why.|ref=yes|access-date=May 7, 2023}} {{Metacritic film prose|74|10|ref=yes|access-date=May 7, 2023}}
== Awards == {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Award !Notes |- |2022 |FOCAL International Awards |Nominee - Best Use of Footage in a Cinematic Feature Nominee - Best Use of Footage in a Sports Production |- |2022 |Black Reel Awards |Nominee - Outstanding Documentary |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|7972668}}
{{Max (streaming service)}} {{CNN Films}}
Category:2021 films Category:2021 documentary films Category:2021 American films Category:2021 British films Category:2021 English-language films Category:American sports documentary films Category:British sports documentary films Category:CNN Films films Category:Documentary films about HIV/AIDS Category:Documentary films about sportspeople Category:Documentary films about tennis Category:Films scored by Jongnic Bontemps Category:HBO Max films Category:HIV/AIDS in American films Category:HIV/AIDS in British films Category:English-language documentary films