or


[06/13/18 - 09:21 AM]
Exclusive HBO Sports(R) Documentary "Fists of Freedom: The Story of the '68 Summer Games," To Receive Special Encore Presentation July 13, 50 Years After the Historic Demonstration in Mexico City
The film debuted on HBO in August 1999, going on to receive a George F. Peabody Award.

[via press release from HBO]

EXCLUSIVE HBO SPORTS(R) DOCUMENTARY "FISTS OF FREEDOM: THE STORY OF THE '68 SUMMER GAMES," EXPLORING ONE OF THE 20TH CENTURY'S MOST POWERFUL MOMENTS IN SPORT, TO RECEIVE SPECIAL ENCORE PRESENTATION JULY 13, 50 YEARS AFTER THE HISTORIC DEMONSTRATION IN MEXICO CITY

The 1960s was one of the most volatile and turbulent decades in American history. And in the world of sports, no event would transcend the playing fields more than the 1968 Summer Games.

Examining one of the 20th century's most memorable moments in sport - the dramatic "Black Power" demonstration of American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the victory stand at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City - FISTS OF FREEDOM: THE STORY OF THE '68 SUMMER GAMES returns for an encore play 50 years after that iconic display on FRIDAY, JULY 13 (5:00-6:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO2.

The documentary will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners' streaming services.

The black-gloved, fist-held-high, black-power salute by U.S. Olympic Team members Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the victory stand at Mexico City was one of the most provocative sports moments of its era. FISTS OF FREEDOM explores the forces that combined to produce this indelible image.

Prior to the Mexico City Games, African-American activist Professor Harry Edwards had proposed a boycott of the U.S. Olympic team to change the perception that the black athlete's job was to shut up and play the game. Though the boycott did not happen, the American athletes arrived in Mexico City amidst a storm of political and social unrest - and under the suspicious eye of IOC president Avery Brundage.

FISTS OF FREEDOM features HBO's acclaimed combination of rare footage, archival photos and revealing interviews. Among the interviewees are 1968 U.S. Olympic athletes Tommie Smith, Lee Evans, Ralph Boston, Bob Beamon, Bill Toomey, Bob Seagren and George Foreman, as well as Harry Edwards and Bud Greenspan.

The film debuted on HBO in Aug. 1999, going on to receive a George F. Peabody Award.

FISTS OF FREEDOM: THE STORY OF THE '68 SUMMER GAMES is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Program Highlights:

Larry James, 1968 U.S. Olympic sprinter and gold medalist: "1968 was cram-packed with enough events to cover the whole century."

Harry Edwards, civil rights activist and professor: "Sports was a legitimate lever to bring about changes relative to race... A battle for dignity and respect."

Lee Evans, 1968 U.S. Olympic sprinter and gold medalist: "You can play a part. You don't have to just stand there and watch everybody else. Do something. Don't be on the sideline."

Bill Toomey, 1968 U.S. Olympic decathlon gold medalist: "The backdrop was insanity. The electricity of all this energy - negative and positive - got into us, and we performed. The gun went off, and I was bulletproof."

Tommie Smith: "We were not Antichrists. We were just human beings who saw a need to be recognized. I don't like the idea of people looking at it as negative. There was nothing but a raised fist in the air and a bowed head acknowledging the American flag - not symbolizing a hatred for it."

Toomey: "You just can't stop the stupidity and the racism with just words... That single gesture was like a stick of dynamite in a pile of dynamite."

George Foreman, 1968 U.S. Olympic boxing gold medalist, who started waving a tiny American flag after his triumph in the ring: "I started waving the flag to show the whole world that not only had George Foreman won the gold medal but America did it."

Foreman, who was subsequently heavily criticized for not making a protest expression: "In 1964, I was a mugger, a thief digging my way into the mud so the dogs couldn't sniff me out and take me to jail. In less than four years later I am standing on a platform putting a gold medal around my neck with the promise of a better life... It didn't occur to me nor did it matter to me that people would take it one way or another. I went there to win a gold medal."

Evans, who also was criticized for a "watered down" visual protest on the victory stand: "People asked me, 'Why were you guys smiling so much on the victory stand?' And I said 'Man, some guy was threatening to shoot me. I smiled because I thought maybe they wouldn't be able to shoot a guy who is smiling.' That's the only thing that was on my mind on the victory stand - being shot dead. I said, 'Man, if you wanted to raise your fist up in the Olympic Games, you should have made the team and did it yourself.'"

Bud Greenspan, filmmaker: "I was one of those who said, 'My God, who do these guys think they are?' Three decades later these guys proved to be correct. It opened everybody's eyes."

James on the actions of Smith and Carlos: "Two simple athletes who ran in circles captured the entire world for a brief moment."





  [june 2018]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM]
Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX
Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.

[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM]
"20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board
In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.

[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week
"Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week
The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.

[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer
The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.

[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM]
FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One
Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5
Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.

[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.

[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM]
The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT
The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.

[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM]
Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15
The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.

[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge"
In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.

[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak
Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.