It's been exactly five years since boxing icon Muhammad Ali passed away. This week, on the anniversary of his death, the documentary City of Ali is premiering during an event in his hometown of Louisville as part of the annual Ali Festival — a week-long event that celebrates and remembers Ali's undeniable legacy.
City of Ali, directed by Graham Shelby and produced by Jonathan McHugh, takes viewers to Louisville as they get a look at the week of Ali's funeral as over 100,000 people came together in Ali's hometown (not to mention the billions streaming the procession from all over the world) to remember and honor the life of the boxer, activist and philanthropist. Ali passed away in the midst of the Presidential election in 2016, the proposal of a Muslim ban, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement's rapid expansion.
The film features interviews from the late boxer's family, including Asaad Ali, Lonnie Ali, Rahman Ali and Rasheda Ali, as well as Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, members of the Muhammad Ali Center and more.
In an interview with Variety, City of Ali director Graham Shelby explained of the film, "Our film’s title really has two meanings: On the one hand, the City of Ali is Louisville, where Cassius Clay grew up and Muhammad Ali came home. The City of Ali also refers to the global community of people Ali touched and inspired in his incredible life. This documentary tells the story of what happened when those two communities came together. It was an unforgettable moment to experience and we’re excited to share City of Ali with fans of The Champ worldwide."
City of Ali premieres in Louisville on June 3rd, the fifth anniversary of Ali's passing, and will be released nationally the following day on June 4th as a Watch Now by ABRAMORAMA @ Home Cinema Release.
Watch the City of Ali trailer above.