Because They Believed

Los Angeles, CA – January 9, 2024 – Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, has acquired North American VOD rights to the sports documentary BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED, which will be available to rent/own on all digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms worldwide, as well as on DVD, starting on February 2, 2024, through Freestyle Digital Media.

BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED is a feature-length documentary containing interviews of athletic trailblazers that were the first to break through racial barriers to participate in professional sports. These are stories of forgotten male and female athletes whose perseverance and dedication changed the world of sports forever. They boldly integrated and participated in sports that were, at that time, segregated. These stories are told to inspire people of all ages, races, and genders. In this documentary, we memorialize the stories of these athletes who broke barriers and opened the doors for the professional athletes of color today. BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED contains interviews as well as archival film clips of these athletic trailblazer’s achievements, saluting the courage, sacrifice and triumph of these sports heroes.

Directed by Steven C. Bernier, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED was produced by Bernier and Arif Khatib and written by Bernier, Khatib, and Pete Elman.

BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED features interviews with Dr. John Carlos (track & Field), Tom Flores (football), Dusty Baker (baseball), R.C. Owens (football), Billy Mills (track & field), Raymond Chester (football), Dr. Herbert Carnegie (hockey), Rosie Bonds (track & field), Dr. Tae Yun Kim (martial arts), Mal Whitfield (track & field), Bill Wright (golf), Leland Faust (water polo), Leigh Steinberg (sports agent), Yoshihiro Uchida (judo), Urla Hill (historian and curator), Dr. Tommie Smith (track & field), Don Johnson (tennis) and Dr. Harry Edwards (sociologist).

“Making BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED with Arif Khatib was an eye-opening experience,” said filmmaker Steven C. Bernier. “His extensive compilation of archive footage spanning decades of interviews with professional athletes is impressive. Our cast and crew were dedicated to telling their stories by bringing this movie to life, and we are excited to share this film with the world!”

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the deal to acquire BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED with Alex Nohe from Blood Sweat Honey.

About Freestyle Digital Media

The digital distribution unit of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, Freestyle Digital Media, is a premiere multi-platform distributor with direct partnerships across all major cable, satellite, digital and streaming platforms. Capitalizing on a robust infrastructure, proven track record, and a veteran sales team, Freestyle Digital Media is a true home for independent films. Recent releases include THE ROAD DOG starring comedian Doug Stanhope, SURVIVE starring HBO’s GAME OF THRONES star Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins, the music documentary profiling blues guitar legends Jimmie Vaughan & Stevie Ray Vaughan, BROTHERS IN BLUES, DEAR ZOE starring Sadie Sink from the hit Netflix series STRANGER THINGS, Jessica Capshaw and Theo Rossi. Other Freestyle Digital Media titles include BEST SUMMER EVER the teen musical featuring a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities, produced by Jamie Lee Curtis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson, THE WEDDING YEAR starring Sarah Hyland and Anna Camp, THE LAST PHOTOGRAPH starring Danny Houston, UNTOGETHER starring Jamie Dornan, Jemima Kirke, Ben Mendelsohn, Alice Eve and Billy Crystal, the action-comedy BETTER START RUNNING starring Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons and Maria Bello, THE BACHELORS starring Academy Award-winner J.K. Simmons, Julie Delpy and Odeya Rush and the award-winning documentary HONDROS produced by Jamie Lee Curtis and Jake Gyllenhaal.

For more information, visit:
www.allenmedia.tv
www.freestyledigitalmedia.tv