The GFF 2023 Podcasts: An Interview with Cassius X: Becoming Ali Director Muta'Ali...

Alistair Braidwood
Feb 28, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Oct 16, 2023

For the latest podcast, and the first of our Glasgow Film Festival podcasts for 2023, Ali spoke to Muta'Ali, the director of the documentary Cassius X: Becoming Ali.

The two talk about the making of the film, Muta'Ali's initial involvement, the importance of Executive Producer Mick McAvoy, working with writer Stuart Cosgrove (whose book Cassius X is the inspiration for the film), the challenges posed by COVID, the relationships which shaped the young Clay/Ali, and a whole lot more.

Muta'Ali also gives context to the film by discussing America at that time, the cultural and social tensions, the spiritual journey that the young boxer was beginning, and how he was viewed inside, and outside, the sport.

It's an informative and insightful discussion about a film which is as much about social history as it is about arguably the world's greatest sporting icon.

Here's the teaser trailer:

And here are the dates for cinemas around Scotland:

You can buy Cassius X: A Legend in the Making from Birlinn Books

If you aren’t yet a subscriber to the Scots Whay Hae! podcast you can do so, (or simply listen) at iTunes, on Podbean, with Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Or, if you want it right here, right now, you can listen on SoundCloud…

..or on YouTube…