""One Golden Summer" takes us back to simpler times, when Chicago collectively rejoiced around the winning Little League Jackie Robinson West (JRW) team from the South Side of Chicago, the first all-Black team to rally through the end-of-summer tournament. Like any kid, the only narrative I cared about at that time was the batter's count and runs scored. Despite its overall positive light, we see the shadows more clearly in this production."
"Director Kevin Shaw balances present-day interviews with archival television footage to craft a narrative of what occurred, while also giving us a peek behind the curtain. The only questionable choice in the retelling is the off-putting AI-generated animations; this decision, luckily brief, feels at odds with the overall authenticity the filmmakers are aiming to uplift. Nonetheless, with each triumph, with each win that brings us closer to the culminating championship, there's the lingering knowledge that Black joy is very rarely widely accepted."
Chicago International Film Festival programmed diverse films under the slogan "Find You Genre" and included a curated City/State program showcasing homegrown stories. One Golden Summer revisits Chicago's celebration of the Jackie Robinson West Little League team, the first all-Black team to advance to the end-of-summer tournament. The documentary balances present-day interviews with archival television footage, offering behind-the-scenes context and correcting a national narrative to honor the integrity of the children and community legacy. A brief, off-putting use of AI-generated animations conflicts with the film's authenticity. The film evokes the highs and lows of 2014 and emphasizes that Black joy is rarely widely accepted.
Read at Roger Ebert
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