Ready, Row! USA #81: A Most Beautiful Thing, the Movie

 Meet the cast of "A Most Beautiful Thing," the Mary Mazzio/50 Eggs Films documentary that was made from Arshay Cooper's memoir, originally entitled "Suga Water." Boston rower, host Mona Graucci talks with Arshay Cooper, Alvin Ross, Preston Grandberry, Malcolm Hawkins, and Ray “Pookie G” Hawkins. The film, released in 2019 and directed by Olympic rower Mary Mazzio (50 Eggs Films), is drawing deep praise across the country.

The documentary explores the safety and brotherhood these young men found on the water (“we were in a place where we could not hear the sound of sirens”), as well as the trauma of violence and cyclical poverty that they endured first-hand. The documentary explores how these young men were able to support each other in re-imagining a different future for themselves, and how rowing and the water  drew them to that opportunity. These young men came together, after 20 years out of the boat, to race this past summer, not only to celebrate the team’s founding, but the fact that they are still alive. This is their story.

Called one of the best documentaries to premiere at SXSW by Brian Tallerico of Roger Ebert, an “absolute must watch” by Deadspin, and “a movie for we could really use right now” by the Hollywood Reporter, A MOST BEAUTIFUL THING is narrated by the Academy-Award/Grammy-winning artist, Common; executive-produced by NBA Stars Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade along with Grammy-award winning producer 9th Wonder; and directed by award-winning filmmaker (and Olympic rower) Mary Mazzio.  The film chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in this country (made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs from the West Side of Chicago), all coming together to row in the same boat.

Distribution: With AMC’s remaining closure, 50Eggs is pivoting and will begin streaming on Xfinity for US Xfinity customers on July 31, ramping up into the debut of the film on Comcast/NBCUniversal’s new streaming platform Peacock on September 1.

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All content carrying the name Ready, Row! USA or  ReadyRowUSA is copyrighted ©® by Pierce Press (PiercePress.com). All rights reserved. This episode was also distributed by Rowing.Chat in November, 2020 with permission of Pierce Press.