The City of Ali Movie – Muhammad Ali’s Global Impact

Episode 22:  Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Graham Shelby, who directed a documentary film about Muhammad Ali, “The City of Ali”.  They’ll discuss how the idea got started, how it grew and the global impact the film is having.

Meet Graham Shelby

Graham is a writer and storyteller who’s lived in Louisville for the past 20 years.  His role as director and the path of the film, itself, is fairly unconventional.

Muhammad Ali passed away in 2016.  The coverage of his funeral and its effect on the entire city of Louisville was watched worldwide.  People came to Louisville from all over the world to pay their respects.  Muhammad was buried at Cave Hill Cemetery, in Louisville.  This is the city in which he grew up and began his boxing career.  The celebration of his life and his mission in life was a special moment in Louisville’s history.

At the time, Graham was serving as the speech writer for Mayor Greg Fischer.  After the week-long celebration ended, Mayor Fischer told his team that they needed to capture what had just happened, so the experience could be preserved, and retold from a Louisville perspective.

Key Moments in the Life of Muhammad Ali

He was born in 1942.  He grew up in the Parkland neighborhood of Louisville.  Segregation was a part of the culture, during this time.  It’s also where he became interested in boxing.

As the story goes, Muhammad loved his red, Schwinn bicycle.  One day, when Muhammad was 12 years old, he and his brother rode their bikes to a fair.  They left their bikes to go explore the festivities.  Upon their return, someone had taken Muhammad’s bike.  They eventually found a police officer, who also happened to be a youth boxing coach.  Muhammad (“Cassius” at the time), told the officer that he wanted to whip whomever had stolen his bicycle.  The officer told him he’d better learn how to box, if he wanted to do that.  The rest is history.

At age 18, Cassius earned a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, in Rome.  According to Wikipedia, “he held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970.  He was the undisputed champion from 1974 to 1978.  He was the WBA and Ring heavyweight champion from 1978-1979.  In 1999, he was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC.”

He went on to become an ambassador for Louisville and his faith.  In 2005, Louisville opened the Muhammad Ali Center to celebrate his life and legacy.

The City of Ali Documentary Film

The mayor’s communications team was tasked with coming up with the concept for how they could preserve the week-long celebration leading up to Muhammad Ali’s funeral.  They originally settled on creating a short documentary.  The mayor told Graham that he wanted this “to be something really special.”  Graham set out to figure out how to actually do a documentary.  He began interviewing people, while at the same time, trying to figure out how to bring this project to life.

As the collection of interviews grew, the project began to take shape. Eventually, some external partners joined the effort.  The story was gaining interest and it was apparent that it could go well beyond Louisville.  Eventually, they contracted with film producer, Jonathan McHugh, from LA.  The story and its pieces started coming together.  The process took 5 years, resulting in the release of the film in 2021.

The coverage of the release was incredible, including stories in the NY Times and other media.  The Today Show even did a segment on it. The reviews were extremely positive.  It’s now available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and PBS.  In 2022, the American Film Showcase contacted them.  This organization is connected with the US State Department.  They wanted to begin showing the film across the world, through US embassies, as part of its cultural diplomacy activities.

The Documentary Goes Global

The team realized this was also an opportunity to introduce the world to Louisville.  This would have positive ramifications for economic development, tourism and cultural interaction.  Graham estimates the film has been screen in 25-30 US embassies across the world.  The film has been wonderfully received.  The response to the movie has been incredible.  Many people were moved to tears and inspired, at the same time.

Omar recounts his personal memories of that week, as well as his pride in how the jinazah was embraced.  This is the term for the Muslim funeral ceremony.  Graham describes how carefully they worked to ensure the jinazah and the religious traditions were respected.  So many people wanted to attend that the ceremony was eventually moved to the Kentucky State Fairgrounds to accommodate the crowds of people.

Graham describes the importance for people of different faiths to see the jinazah.  Ali’s conversion and his faith was an integral part of his story throughout the years.  The fact that the celebration highlights the jinazah for Muhammad Ali is a powerful connection point for people, especially in the Middle East.

Omar and Graham discuss the presentations Graham recently made in the UAE.  Graham was able to read excerpts from Mayor Greg Fischer’s comments, during one of the presentations.  The response from the university students was incredible.

What’s Next for the Film?

Graham is very grateful for the involvement and support of the staff at the Muhammad Ali Center.  They are the financial beneficiary of the proceeds from the City of Ali movie.  Graham is working with the Center to further promote the film.  He also intends to show it at more international venues.  The movie serves as an incredible cross-cultural bridge and as an introduction to Louisville.

The City of Ali can be viewed on the Delta Airlines entertainment menu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Tubi and other streaming services.  A teacher’s guide has also been developed for educators who wish to use the documentary in classrooms, at the middle school, high school and college levels.

 

To Learn More: 

Website:  http://www.CityOfAli.com

 

Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

• 10/13-19/25 – Trade Mission to Dubai 2025

 

The next episode of our podcast will launch on 04/14/25.  Thank you for listening.  Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

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