Healing Heartbeats: The Chris Reeve Story

A Love Letter to Christopher Reeve

The first trailer for Sundance Film Festival favourite Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story has been released, flying right at us. Directed by the acclaimed duo Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, the documentary will chronicle the extraordinary story of on- and off-screen hero Christopher Reeve, the man who brought the definitive take on DC’s Man of Steel to our screens across four films between 1978 and 1987, and the man whose activism for spinal cord injury sufferers following a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 redefined his heroism anew.

The Doc’s Emotional Journey

Hoo boy — if we’re this dewy-eyed after a three-minute trailer, what hope do we stand of making it through the entire documentary in one piece? From those nostalgic opening shots of Reeve in full red-and-blue regalia in Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman, to the Son of Krypton actor’s talk show charm and humble assertion that "I’m not a hero," it’s very clear that Super/Man is going to be an unapologetic — and rightfully so — love letter to Reeve. And boasting a wealth of candid home video and archival footage of Reeve at the height of his movie stardom as well as from across his post-accident journey both in public and private, Bonhôte and Ettedgui’s doc — which boasts the likes of Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, and Reeve’s children William, Matthew, and Alexandra among its contributors — looks to make good on its promise to tell the story we don’t know about the man everyone did.

Reeve’s Definition of Heroism

At the emotional peak of the trailer for this DC Studios and HBO produced doc, we hear Reeve — who passed away aged just 52 in 2004 — share his own personal definition of heroism, saying, "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." We’ll see that exact heroism defined by Reeve himself and those who knew and loved him best when Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story hits our screens in the UK on 1 November.

Conclusion

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is set to be a poignant and intimate tribute to the life and legacy of Christopher Reeve, a man who embodied heroism both on and off the screen. With its wealth of candid footage and heartfelt testimonials, this documentary promises to be a must-see for anyone who has ever been inspired by the Superman franchise or the courage of its titular hero.

FAQs

• Who directed Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story?
  Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui directed the documentary.
• What is the release date of Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story in the UK?
  Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story will be released in the UK on 1 November.