Cassius X: Becoming Ali

The Fighter. The Activist. The Disciple. The Greatest. Cassius X: Becoming Ali follows the early years of Cassius Clay, from bright-eyed rookie to world heavyweight champion and from working class intellectual to one of America’s most influential civil rights campaigners.

The film reveals how the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, reinforced by a friendship with revolutionary preacher, Malcolm X, set Clay on the journey to become "Cassius X", before his induction to the Nation of Islam and ascension to the name of the great Muhammad Ali.

Cassius X: Becoming Ali is the extraordinary story of how one young boxer from Louisville, Kentucky became a cultural icon for the ages, forever to be known thereafter as “The Greatest”.

“There is no denying the electric charge one gets watching the soon-to-be Muhammad Ali bragging, boasting, punching and pouncing” – Screen Daily

"The film never loses sight of the significance of race in the US… and hinges on an understanding of how identities are formed and controlled, or what it means to take away or bestow a name” - Eye for Film

Directed by Muta’Ali, an award winning film director who co-founded The Raw Report, a hip-hop focussed entertainment news series on rising stars and multi-platinum recording artists signed to Def Jam Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Atlantic Records.

This film is presented by The New Black Film Collective.

How you can support the Electric Palace:

• Book a ticket to a screening.
• Become an official Friend of the Electric Palace
• Hire the cinema for a private party
• Buy a gift voucher
• Donate to the cinema
• Sign up to receive our enewsletter
• Play our piano before a screening and see the film for free!
• Support us on social media by sharing our posts and events

Thank you.