Filmmaker premieres Clemente documentary
PITTSBURGH — David Altrogge wanted to make a movie “about someone who did good and who could give hope” in bleak times. The Indiana, Pennsylvania, native could’ve chosen a few prominent Western Pennsylvanians who fit that bill, but ultimately decided to focus on Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente.
It took the filmmaker almost five years to complete “Clemente,” an expansive documentary chronicling The Great One’s life from his humble upbringing in Puerto Rico to the 1972 plane accident that killed him at age 38. Altrogge enlisted Clemente’s family, friends, fans, teammates, famous admirers and more to tell the “human story” behind the two-time World Series champion.
“Clemente” premiered Monday afternoon in Austin, Texas, as part of the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival. The Pittsburgh Post-gazette caught up with Altrogge, 39, shortly before he and Clemente’s sons, Luis and
Roberto Jr., attended the documentary’s inaugural public screening.
“These guys have been carrying their father’s torch for 50 years,” he said of Luis and Roberto Jr., who executive produced “Clemente” along with their brother, Roberto Enrique Clemente.
“Since they were kids, they’ve been working tirelessly to make sure his story isn’t forgotten . ... It’s been a really cool thing to get to know them, and they’ve been so generous to entrust me with telling this story.”
Baseball wasn’t a huge part of Altrogge’s childhood. Like many Western Pennsylvanians, though, he still ended up being fairly well-versed in the legend of Roberto Clemente. He decided to center a film around Clemente after picking up a book about him and being struck by “the little moments of kindness” peppered throughout its pages.
Made through his locally based production company Vinegar Hill, “Clemente” finds Altrogge with directing, co-writing and producing credits. The project gained attention after renowned
filmmaker (and baseball enthusiast) Richard Linklater jumped on board as an executive producer. Recently, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James and his Springhills Company also joined “Clemente” as executive producers.
“Having them come on board is super exciting,” Altrogge said. “Hopefully it means more people will see the film, hear the story and be impacted by the work that Roberto started and his kids are continuing.”
Its first champion was Duane Rieder, the executive director of The Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville. He connected Altrogge to the Clemente family and also helped acquaint him with longtime sportscaster Bob Costas.
The Clemente brothers are the reason Altrogge conducted the last interview with their late mother, Vera Clemente, before her death in 2019. They also introduced Altrogge to the Pirates organization and other notable 1960s and ’70s Buccos, including Manny Sanguillén, Dave Cash and Al Oliver.
“We are grateful to David and the Vinegar Hill production team for their dedication in thoroughly exploring aspects of our family’s legacy that are being brought to viewers for the first time,” Luis and Roberto Jr. said in a joint statement. “Their attention to detail in presenting this story in impeccable detail is truly commendable.”
Roberto Jr. and Luis are also slated to be executive producers on a forthcoming biopic film about their father, based on the book “Clemente: The True Legacy of an Undying Hero,” Deadline reported last year.
Linklater initially got involved with “Clemente” as an interview subject before becoming an executive producer, according to Altrogge. He believes that decision was a “huge turning point” for the documentary, which inspired on-screen appearances from the likes of movie star (and Pittsburgh native) Michael Keaton, Academy Award-winning actor (and Puerto Rico native) Rita Moreno and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello.
“Something really cool happens when you interview people about Clemente, especially people [Keaton’s] age,” Altrogge said. “You talk to [professional baseball players] Yadi [Molina] and Francisco Lindor, and of course they stand in awe of him. But guys who got to see him play, they turn into a little boy talking about him.”
Altrogge noted that “Clemente” is “very much a Pittsburgh film,” both in terms of the film’s depiction of a mid-20th century Steel City and folks behind the camera like himself and fellow Vinegar Hill-affiliated creatives, including producer Mary Sabol, editor Andrew Calvetti and cinematographer Michael J. Hartnett.
SXSW provided a few special moments for Altrogge, Roberto Jr. and Luis even before Monday’s “Clemente” premiere. The Cheech Marintommy Chong documentary “Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie” is also set to screen at SXSW 2024, and Altrogge witnessed a heartwarming interaction in which Marin expressed his admiration for The Great One to Roberto Jr.
“To see people come up to [the Clemente brothers] and talk about the impact their family had on their lives, it’s really cool,” he said.
Many films go to SXSW in search of a home, and “Clemente” is no exception. Altrogge is looking forward to “finding the right partner for the film” and is open to whichever offer he believes will maximize its potential viewership. He also plans to have a Pittsburgh premiere at some point regardless of how the film is distributed.