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The Athlete

Play trailer Poster for The Athlete 2009,  1h 25m,  Biography/ Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 17% 6 Reviews Tomatometer 58% Fewer than 50 Ratings Popcornmeter
17% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
After losing the use of his legs in a car accident, marathon runner Abebe Bikila (Rasselas Lakew) finds a new outlet for his athletic ability and competitive nature in archery and a type of sled-dog racing.

Critics Reviews

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Mark Olsen Los Angeles Times Nov 30, 2012
2/5
There are perhaps two better films lurking within "Atletu," one a more straightforward documentary and the other a narrative biopic, but this hybrid falls flat. Go to Full Review
Henry Barnes Guardian Jun 28, 2012
2/5
It's a blend of documentary and drama, but while the archive clips of Bikila's victories are thrilling, the performances are flat and the script tired. Go to Full Review
David Jenkins Little White Lies Jun 28, 2012
2/5
You feel that Bikila's admittedly amazing story would've been better transmitted through straight documentary or straight drama, not an uneasy bowlderisation of both. Go to Full Review
Amber Wilkinson Eye for Film Feb 4, 2013
3/5
This is an ambitious and brave project which, if it doesn't quite reach the heights it might, is still a worthwhile watch and bodes well for both filmmakers in future. Go to Full Review
Jason Solomons Observer (UK) Jul 1, 2012
Told through reconstruction and archive footage, the story of Ethiopian marathon legend Abebe Bikila can't muster the drama it deserves. Go to Full Review
Shaun Munro What Culture Jun 25, 2012
2.5/5
Effective at studying a physical specimen, but as an examination of a man in terms of what he means to his family and his country, the context is fatally scarce. Go to Full Review
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The Athlete

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Davey Frankel

Director

Rasselas Lakew

Director

Rasselas Lakew

Abebe Bikila

Dag Malmberg

Onni

Ruta Gedmintas

Charlotte

Abba Waka Dessalegn

The Priest

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The Athlete

The Athlete (2009) The Athlete (2009) The Athlete (2009) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After losing the use of his legs in a car accident, marathon runner Abebe Bikila (Rasselas Lakew) finds a new outlet for his athletic ability and competitive nature in archery and a type of sled-dog racing.
Director
Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew
Producer
Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew, Darryn Welch
Screenwriter
Rasselas Lakew, Davey Frankel, Mikael Amerio Awake
Production Co
AV Patchbay, Cinema Aethiopica, Instinctive Film
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 25m
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