At this year’s SXSW Film & TV festival, I didn’t get to watch many documentaries, but my absolute favorite is Clemente, which tells the story of MLB superstar Roberto Clemente. Writer/director David Altrogge and co-writer Elise Andert present the life and career of the Puerto Rican baseball player who captured the hearts of baseball fans and inspired other athletes of color to pursue careers in sports. The documentary not only celebrates and honors the tremendous talents of the athlete but also reveals the real person who genuinely desired to help others like him persevere.
Before Clemente became famous as a right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Roberto was born and raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico, where he and his family had to work hard in the sugar cane fields. Sports allowed him to escape hard labor and poverty in his home. Strengthened and conditioned by track and field, Clemente would eventually focus on baseball, where he would excel for the rest of what would become a fruitful career. Sadly, Clemente’s heart for philanthropy would lead to his untimely death in a tragic plane crash that occurred during a mission to provide aid to Managua, Nicaragua, after a devastating earthquake.
While the filmmakers follow the usual formula often adopted by sports documentaries, the facts about the man stand on their own as a testament to the great person he was. The film features a mix of archival footage and interviews with members of the Clemente family and the real people Roberto inspired and touched. Roberto Clemente was unique in unapologetically remaining true to himself and his culture, never adapting or conforming to who others thought he should be. His beautiful story deserves to be shared with the world for many generations.