Whom You Know: #NHLPeachy @WillieORee @NHL Inspiring Story of NHL Pioneer Willie O’Ree to Make Worldwide Debut at Largest North American Documentary Festival ‘WILLIE’ to Debut at Hot Docs 2019; Named to Prestigious ‘Special Presentations’

Thursday, March 21, 2019

#NHLPeachy @WillieORee @NHL Inspiring Story of NHL Pioneer Willie O’Ree to Make Worldwide Debut at Largest North American Documentary Festival ‘WILLIE’ to Debut at Hot Docs 2019; Named to Prestigious ‘Special Presentations’

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the largest documentary festival in North America, today announced the original documentary WILLIE has been selected by the festival, which receives more than 10,000 film submissions each year. The festival also announced WILLIE has been designated as ‘Hot Docs Special Presentations,’ which names approximately 30 documentaries each year out of the nearly 300 in the festival from around the world.

On Monday, April 29, the documentary will make its world premiere at Hot Docs 2019 at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, the largest screening venue at the festival. WILLIE tells the incredible story of Willie O’Ree, who in 1958 became the first black man to play in the National Hockey League.

The film features never-before-seen home movie footage, original interviews, and first-person accounts from friends and family across North America.

Born in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1935, O’Ree began his journey as the youngest of 13 children. A multi-sport athlete, his career path originally pointed toward professional baseball. But after experiencing segregation first-hand during a tryout in the U.S. during the Jim Crow era, he reconsidered his options and returned to hockey.

O’Ree turned to hockey. Despite being blind in one eye from an injury he suffered in 1956 and kept secret throughout his playing career, he made it to the National Hockey League. On January 18, 1958, O’Ree made his NHL debut, playing for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens in the fabled Montreal Forum. He would go on to play two seasons in the NHL and more than 20 seasons of professional hockey.

A trailblazer who paved the way for the players of diverse ethnic backgrounds who have succeeded him in the subsequent 60 years, O’Ree was named NHL Diversity Ambassador in 1998. In the two decades since, he has helped establish 39 local grassroots hockey programs and inspired more than 120,000 boys and girls to play the game in its many forms. On November 12, 2018, having dedicated most of his life to hockey, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In association with the National Hockey League, the documentary was directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker, editor, and producer Laurence Mathieu-Leger. It was produced by Bryant McBride, who sought out and hired O’Ree while working for the NHL more than 20 years ago.

Tickets to see WILLIE go on sale on Tuesday, March 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET. Tickets will be available for purchase at HotDocs.ca. For more details about the documentary, visit WillieDoc.com.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Laurence Mathieu-Leger is an award-winning filmmaker, editor, and producer as well as a wife and mother of two small children. She is originally from Montreal and now based in New York City. An accomplished athlete, she specializes in documentary projects and has done work for major networks and publications such as The Guardian, Reuters, La Presse, Cosmo, and the United Nations, among others. Her work was featured at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City as part of the special exhibition ¡Cuba! In 2017, Laurence received international recognition after winning a World Press Photo award for her groundbreaking work on the Guardian interactive production The Injustice System. In 2018, she was honored with the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award in the continuing coverage category for her work on Keystone XL: Driving the US pipeline route. “Willie” is her first feature length film.

Bryant McBride is an entrepreneur and builder. Since 2000, he has built eight start-ups all at the intersection of sports, media and technology. He served as Vice President of Business Development for the National Hockey League from 1991-2000 - the first black executive to do so. While at the NHL, along with other revenue driving initiatives, Bryant created 30+ grassroots programs to provide access to hockey for disadvantaged and at-risk boys and girls across North America. To propel that effort, Bryant hired Willie O'Ree more than 20 years ago and that important work continues today. He is a sought-after speaker, continues to mentor some of the brightest minds in sports, media and technology and is relentless in his efforts to provide opportunity for young people. "Willie" is his first feature length film.

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