Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Peter Ettedgui & Ian Bonhôte / United Kingdom / 2024 / European Premiere / 106 min
One of the biggest audience favourites of the year is a genuinely gripping and truly epic film about the man who first became Superman and then became a real-life superhero after a tragic accident changed his life forever.
Christopher Reeve was born to play the role of Superman. With a skyward gaze and a jawline that could stop the traffic, Reeve captured the imagination of millions of cinema-goers when ‘Superman’ was released in 1978. Overnight, the gifted and classically trained actor became both superhero and superstar. But even Superman isn’t invulnerable. When a tragic riding accident in 1995 left Reeve paralysed from the neck down, it made headlines around the world. But with almost superhuman willpower – and the support of his family and his beloved wife Dana – Reeve took the lead role in his new life and became a high-profile activist for people with disabilities. ‘Super/Man’ is a film that simply sets new standards for how to tell a person’s life story in a poignant, genuine and dignified way. But that’s not all. In a deeply original and innovative editing of scenes from the ‘Superman’ films and Reeves’ own life both before and after the accident, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui have created a unique experience that is something more than a portrait. A true story of a real-life hero.