A Most Beautiful Thing

The documentary is about a rowing team. It was formed at Manley High School on the West Side of Chicago. It is counted as the first African American high school rowing team in the country. Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade are among its executive producers. Some of the young men on it came from rival gangs. They sat side by side in the same boat. Rowing is work that has to be done together. The story reaches years forward as well. The old team comes back together, after the death of one of their coaches. The film shows both those years and the present. The book the film rests on was written by Arshay Cooper, who rowed on that team, and he is at the centre of the story. Common narrates. The ninety five minute film took awards and nominations, an American production Mary Mazzio finished in 2020.