NEW YORK, NY [August 11, 2025] — It was announced today that mTuckman Media will release Vinegar Hill’s feature documentary Clemente, directed by David Altrogge and executive produced by Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Richard Linklater, this September. The SXSW Audience Award winner, which explores the extraordinary life of 2x World Series Champion Roberto Clamente, will open in theaters on September 12, timed to Hispanic Heritage Month and Major League Baseball’s annual Roberto Clemente Day on September 15. The broadcast rights have been acquired by The HISTORY® Channel.
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.
“We live in an age of uncertainty. An age of division. An age where people are asking, ‘is there good in the world?’ The life and legacy of Roberto Clemente answer that question with a resounding yes,” says Altrogge. “Roberto lived his life for others. Instead of pursuing the rich, famous, or powerful, he sought out the poor, destitute, and broken. Clemente is a film that reminds us that an act of kindness, no matter how small, can change the world. It’s a celebration of the power of compassion, generosity, and sacrifice.”
“Roberto’s legacy extends far beyond his achievements in baseball, and this documentary celebrates the man behind the icon,” says Linklater. “Working on this project with the Clemente family has been an honor, and we’re excited to share his inspiring story with the world.”
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.
“We are proud and excited for the release of this extraordinary project, which offers a deeper understanding of the man behind the legend—my father, Roberto Clemente,” says Clemente Jr. “His life was defined by purpose, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to others, and we hope this project inspires a new generation to carry that forward.”
The film was produced by Vinegar Hill and Vantage Pictures. Producers include David Altrogge, Michael Hartnett, Mike Blizzard, John Bennett Scanlon, Mary Sabol, Andrew Calvetti, Sarah Altrogge, Jocelyn Hartnett, Keith Ayers, Stephen Turselli. Executive producers are Clemente’s three sons Roberto Clemente, Jr., Luis Roberto Clemente, Roberto Enrique Clemente, Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Richard Linklater, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron of Fulwell Entertainment’s UNINTERRUPTED, Duane Rieder, Steve Burman, Laura Heberton, Jim Evans, Bradley Ragland, Lillian Young and Dawn Butler; co-executive produced by Matthew Rissmiller of Fulwell Entertainment’s UNINTERRUPTED. Additional support for the film was provided by UPMC.
Here is the official trailer:
ABOUT VINEGAR HILL
Founded in 2007, Vinegar Hill is a Pittsburgh-proud production company and storytelling outfit. In addition to producing content for some of the globe’s most influential organizations, their films have been featured by the Variety, the Hollywood Reporter, RogerEbert.com, LA Times, HuffPost, CNN, BBC, and NatGeo. www.VinegarHill.film
photo courtesy of Clemente Film LTD.
