"They made me understand that early on.". Driven by his love of competitive swimming, Jim … James Ellis (born 1948) is an American swim coach and subject of the feature film Pride. View production, box office, & company info, Kevin Michael Smith (screenplay), WeAreMovieGeeks.com He makes you feel powerful.". He could have let all the snide remarks from many of the ignorant people around him get in his Thirty-three years later, he's still doing his job.". PG Share them here! by Andrea Hahn. Jim Ellis, a college educated African American, who can’t find a job, is driven by his love of competitive swimming. The PDR swim team, as it was called, consisted mainly of African-American kids, which was unusual for the time – very few African-Americans were swimmers. But when a friend is murdered, Ro finds clues that lead her to believe the killer is Harrison Hill, a…, A wealthy businessman murders his unfaithful wife. Paris Williams – 1st Grader Launches “Paris Cares” Foundation to Feed Hungry, A World of Difference – Great Quotes for Kids About Diversity and Tolerance, United We Stand, Divided We Fall – Quotes About Unity in America, John O’Leary – How A 9 Year Old Burn Survivor Rose from the Ashes. In 1970s Philadelphia, Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard), who is driven by a love of competitive swimming, fixes up an abandoned pool building with the help of a janitor named Elston (Bernie Mac). | He swam for Winchester High School and then Cheney State, a historically Black college near Philadelphia. Ellis graduated from Westinghouse High School of Pittsburgh Public Schools in Pennsylvania. When city officials mark the Philadelphia Department of Recreation for demolition, Jim fights back by starting the city’s first African-American swim team. Terrence Howard says, like the swim team, he too takes inspiration from their coach. The determined Jim Ellis starts a swim team for troubled teens at the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. $5.99 Buy. With Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, Kimberly Elise, Tom Arnold. Jim converts an abandoned recreational pool in Philadelphia slum with the help of Elston, a local janitor. "We get in there thinking that we are going to fight it and move it, but you gain momentum through slow acceleration. Pride, determination, and resilience – combine these three qualities, and you’ve got a solid foundation for excellence. Along the way, they faced many obstacles, but Jim pushed them to overcome these obstacles with pride, determination, and resilience. In this video, Jim Ellis talks about how he was inspired to establish his exceptional swim team. Jim Ellis, who inspired movie ‘Pride,’ to visit SIUC. The case winds up in the hands of an overconfident prosecutor who unexpectedly finds himself playing a deadly game of manipulation and deception. WeAreMovieGeeks.com November 13, 2008. "Won…, Secrets, lies and murder: those are the ingredients in a tense thriller with Oscar-winner Halle Berry, Giovanni Ribisi and Bruce Willis. Have you discovered stories, videos, or podcasts that you think would inspire kids? "Seeing the example of Jim Ellis gives me a little more belief in myself," Howard says. November 13, 2008. CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The inspiration behind the 2007 movie “Pride” brings his message of perseverance and success in the face of discrimination to Southern Illinois University Carbondale at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the Student Center Auditorium. "Pride" co-stars Bernie Mac, Kimberly Elise and Tom Arnold. The Gods of Kshe Radio at the World Premiere of Never Say Goodbye – The Kshe Documentary at The Moolah. J. It's a movie, not a documentary, so they're not going to have everything exactly correct," Ellis says. Pride, determination, and resilience – combine these three qualities, and you’ve got a solid foundation for excellence. Alan Silverman has a look at The Namesake. Never Say Goodbye: The Kshe Documentary to Screen at Delmar Hall December 3rd, 10th and 17th, 09 November 2017 The determined Jim Ellis starts a swim team for troubled teens … The determined Jim Ellis starts a swim team for troubled teens … Center in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia, in 1971. Originally hired to help close the center, he changes his direction - and the neighborhood's - when he discovers a dilapidated swimming pool in the building. Still, succeeding in the water and on the streets was not an easy task, but Ellis says he had to try. By using this site, you agree to our, ← Kids Can Be Heroes Too! For an enhanced browsing experience, get the IMDb app on your smartphone or tablet. Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills. We use cookies to personalize content to make our site easier for you to use.   |  When I read this story (of) an ordinary man who decides to step out of his door every day and help kids, I found it something I related to.". Years later, in 1974, he comes to Philadelphia seeking a job. Jim Ellis says in reality there was little of that sort of discrimination against his team. [5], Since 2010, Ellis has been the coach of the Salvation Army Kroc Aquatics (SAKA) program located in the Salvation Army's Philadelphia-based Kroc Center. Pride is a 2007 American biographical film released by Lionsgate Entertainment on March 23, 2007. How do you think Jim and his team felt when they faced obstacles like prejudice despite their hard work? But Jim persisted in teaching the kids on his team, and they began to succeed. Sandra Bullock stars in a new romantic thriller as a woman caught between what she knows is reality and a nightmare that she fears will come true. According to his mini-documentary before his stand up special "Laugh At My Pain", actor/comedian Kevin Hart said he was a part of this real swim team in Philadelphia. He says it helped him understand how to play the role, under the guidance of the real Jim Ellis. CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The inspiration behind the 2007 movie “Pride” brings his message of perseverance and success in the face of discrimination to Southern Illinois University Carbondale at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the Student Center Auditorium. I live with a positive attitude, so as long as I could find water, we kept swimming. As of February 2007, Ellis still coaches swimming at the Marcus Foster pool and had begun a sabbatical from teaching mathematics at Bodine High School. 25 March 2007, 17 November 2017 To Jim Ellis, these qualities were important ones to teach kids, especially underserved kids who might not have many examples of them. Sunu Gonera, a successful commercial and video maker from Cape Town, South Africa, makes his feature film directing debut with "Pride" and says he can easily relate to the theme: "The underdog notion of the story ...I think when you come from Africa, that's been part of our journey," says Gonera. →, Ruth Bader Ginsburg – A Supreme Inspiration. Jim Ellis, who inspired movie ‘Pride,’ to visit SIUC. Michael Gozzard (story), Never Say Goodbye: The Kshe Documentary to Screen at Delmar Hall December 3rd, 10th and 17th, Sliff 2017 Interview: Ron Stevens – Director of Never Say Goodbye – The Kshe Documentary, The Gods of Kshe Radio at the World Premiere of Never Say Goodbye – The Kshe Documentary at The Moolah. The apparently idyllic life of suburban housewife Linda Hanson is devastated by what the police officer at the door tells her. WeAreMovieGeeks.com Designed by. Oscar-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins and Oscar-nominee Ryan Gosling co-star in this new psychological thriller and Alan Silverman has a look at Fracture. It is based on the career of real life swimming coach Jim Ellis, portrayed ably by Terrence Howard. Find out how you can become a part of the InspireMyKids journey. 104 min It was a period in American social and cultural history when swimming pools were strictly segregated along racial lines and for the most part African Americans were provided very few opportunities to swim. His story is the subject of the recently released film, PRIDE, starring Terrence Howard and Bernie Mac. Gogol Ganguli may have been born in America, but his story begins in Calcutta where, years before he is born, his parents - Ashoke and Ashima - are brought together by their parents in an arranged marriage. In the film, the inner city black teenagers coached by a black man encounter nasty prejudice when they go up against a white coach and his swimmers from the affluent suburbs. Coach Ellis is a loveable storyteller whose inspiring true-to-life story captivates and motivates audiences to always remember the influential power of one. Reach us Here! Pride. James Ellis (born 1948) is an American swim coach and subject of the feature film Pride. Ellis was born in 1947 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ellis was born in 1947 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A new drama based on a true story stars Oscar nominee Terrence Howard as an inner city Philadelphia swim coach who helps his young team members discover their inner strength and determination to succeed. [4], In May 2007, Ellis received the President's Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Why do you think Jim emphasized pride, determination, and resilience? Ellis is being recognized not only for his accomplishments as a coach and mentor, but bringing his personal story to the Big Screen. Sean Stutman – A 6 Year Old Geography Superstar Rises Above! After weeks of scrubbing and cleaning up, he invites the local kids in to cool off on a hot summer's day; but he also shows them the power he learned as a champion swimmer in college. The story has been told countless times with different characters, both male and female, different races (African American, Hispanic, Caucasian, etc), and different areas of the United States. PRIDE does not open any new doors in the genre of film biopics of teachers who raise the status of downtrodden students to the point of genuine appreciation of self worth. Pride, Determination, Resilience (PDR) – The Amazing Swim Team of Jim Ellis. [6], Inspirational/motivational instructors/mentors portrayed in films, "Howard, Ellis feel film carries positive wave," by Monica Haynes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 23, 2007, The Westinghouse High School Wall of Fame, compiled by Ervin Dyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 19, 2007, "Philadelphia Teacher Has Been Making Poor Black Kids Into Competitive Swimmers for 35 Years", ISHOF International Swimming Hall of Fame Presidential Honor Award, USASwimming.org, An Interview with Jim Ellis: Part 1, by Mike Gustafson, February 1, 2012, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jim_Ellis_(swimming_coach)&oldid=898195818, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 May 2019, at 00:58. Directed by Sunu Gonera. Alan Silverman has this look at the film Pride.