John Lewis: Get in the Way (2017)

Biography, Documentary, History, Made for TV

Director: Kathleen Dowdey

Writer(s): Kathleen Dowdey

Starring: John Lewis, Amory Houghton, Rachelle Horowitz, Emanuel Cleaver, Barack Obama, John Larson, Bernard Lafayette Jr., Juanita Abernathy, Michael Collins, Lola Felton, Ethel Tyner, Sam Lewis, Andrew Young, Bill Harbour, Wille Mae Lewis, C.T. Vivian, Pauline Knight-Ofosu, James M. Lawson Jr., Hank Thomas, Robert F. Kennedy, John Patterson, Don Lemmon, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Cleveland Sellers, John F. Kennedy, A. Philip Randolph, Harry Reid, Stokely Carmichael, Martin Luther King Jr., Sherry Frank, Julian Bond, Andre Carson, Steny Hoyer, Nancy Pelosi, Luis Gutierrez, Aryc Mosher, Joan Garner, Kenneth Morris, Jeff Graham, Kenneth Samuel, Amina Khan

Synopsis: In 1965, the historic Selma March known as Bloody Sunday was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. John Lewis-now a revered U.S. Congressman, then a young student-co-led hundreds of peaceful marchers seeking voting rights for African Americans in the South. When they came face to face with a wall of club-wielding Alabama state troopers, Lewis took a steadfast, non-violent stand and inspired his followers to do the same. Graphic depictions of the ensuing assault were televised on the nightly news and shocked Americans to the core as they witnessed blatant racial oppression. Get in the Way is the first documentary film biography about Lewis, the civil rights icon, respected legislator and elder statesman who continues to practice nonviolence in his determined fight for justice. The film is a riveting portrayal of John Lewis’ personal journey of courage, searing disappointments and hard-won triumphs, as over the decades he inspires others to stand up and Get in the Way.

Release Date: November 8, 2015 (USA) | Length: 60 min | Genre: Biography, History | MPAA Rating: NR

Note: Premiered at the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) in 2015. Premiered on PBS February 10, 2017. Original title “Get in the Way: The Journey of John Lewis”. Cast list taken from the actual film.

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