Clemente explores the life, career, and lasting impact of Roberto Clemente. One of baseball’s most iconic figures, the trailblazing Puerto Rican baseball legend and humanitarian’s legacy continues to resonate across generations. The film features interviews with Rita Moreno, Michael Keaton, Francisco Lindor, Richard Linklater, Bob Costas, Tom Morello, David Maraniss, and Yadier Molina.
As the first high-profile Latino player to play in MLB in the United States, Roberto’s extraordinary career opened the door for generations of Latino baseball players to come. It is, however, Roberto’s remarkable life off the field that defined his legacy. Committed to uplifting society’s marginalized and under-represented he fearlessly fought for social justice and racial equality with steadfast resolve.
A 15-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion, and the first Latino player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Clemente broke barriers both on and off the field, advocating for civil rights and humanitarian causes until his tragic death in a plane crash while delivering aid to Nicaragua in 1972.
His sons Roberto Jr, Luis Roberto and Roberto Enrique and their family members collaborated closely with director David Altrogge, participating in the film and sharing deeply personal recollections and anecdotes of Clemente before his passing. For the last few decades they have provided stewardship of Clemente’s legacy. The filmmakers were granted unprecedented access to the Clemente Museum’s extensive archives. Founded by Duane Rieder, who also serves as an executive producer on the film, the Museum is home to tens of thousands of rare photographs, documents, and artifacts, many of which have never been seen by the public. The filmmakers also discovered a cache of Roberto Clemente recordings, most of which have not been heard by anyone since the late ’60s. Preserved by a close friend of Roberto, these tapes present a side of Roberto that, until recently, was lost to history.
