The new documentary about Richard Williams – On the Line – will be screened at the Avon Theatre Film Center, 272 Bedford Street, in Downtown Stamford on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:00pm with a pre-film reception at 6:30pm.
Come meet the filmmaker and stepson of Richard Williams, Chavoita LeSane, and the moderator for the post-film Q&A, Harriette Cole, a noted writer and media personality.
On the Line is an emotional reckoning featuring unaired interviews spanning the 1980s to now with Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena, and the son of a cotton picker. The film retraces his family’s journey from the poverty-stricken streets of Shreveport, LA to the grass courts of Wimbledon. The documentary captures the incredible battle Richard Williams fought for decades against systems of racial oppression and violence. He broke every rule of the lily-white tennis establishment to forever change the sport. The film’s running time is 90 minutes.
Chavoita LeSane is the owner of ChaVam LLC, an entertainment company. He has collaborated with legends in the music world such as Byron “CleanFace” Trice, Ted Lucas of SlipNSlide records and Travis Nuckles of Universal Records. He is the son of Richard “King” Willams and helped spearhead his father’s memoir, BLACK AND WHITE and currently serves as his manager. He has also delved in the film world where he has worked on the second season of Netflix’s “Hip Hop Life” and AMC’s “Streets of Compton.”
Harriette Cole is the founder of DREAMLEAPERS, a multi-pronged educational platform designed to help people access and activate their dreams.
She hosts a weekly radio show on WBAI, entitled DREAMLEAPERS® with Harriette Cole on which she interviews individuals who have successfully manifested their dreams about their journey. Cole is a life stylist, nationally syndicated advice columnist, best-selling author, media trainer and executive presence coach. Clients include BET Networks, Universal Records, Warner Music, Sony Music, Zenith Optimedia, Moxie, Digitas, Cornell University, Thurgood Marshall Academy, National Urban League, and more.
On the Line is presented as a kick-off for the Avon’s 2023 Black Lens Film Series dedicated to the memory of former Avon Board member, Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Dudley was instrumental in crafting the vision for the film series and was a passionate film buff, along with his wife, Juanita James. The Avon’s Black Lens Series is made possible, in part, through the generosity of the City of Stamford Arts & Culture Commission.
The Black Film Series will be an ongoing program that explores the role, portrayal, and experiences of African Americans in cinema, both behind and in front of the camera, in addition to a range of themes and issues that relate directly to the African American experience. This all-encompassing talk back series will bring together a cross-section of curated films and subjects, both classic and contemporary, narrative and documentary, with guest speakers providing context that further engages our community in a meaningful discourse.
To purchase On the Line tickets, visit: https://avontheatre.org/movies/on-the-line-the-
richard-williams-story/ or contact Louisa Greene at the Avon – [email protected]
or 203-550-2697.