Film
The Athlete
ET · Germany · United States- Age rating
- PG
- Director
- Davey Frankel
- Year
- 2009
Running the streets of Rome in 1960, an unknown, barefooted Ethiopian man stunned the world by winning Olympic gold in the marathon. Overnight, Abebe Bikila became a sports legend. A hero in his own country and to the continent, Bikila was the first African to win a gold medal, and four years later in Tokyo would become the first person in history to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the marathon.
Top cast
Rasselas Lakew
Abebe Bikila
Dag Malmberg
Onni
Ruta Gedmintas
Charlotte
Abba Waka Dessalegn
. The Priest
Johnny Ashenafi
Coach Nega
Woyneshet Belachew
Telephone Operator
Abebe Bikila
Himself (archive footage)
Arne Boysen
Gunnar Krogsveen
Yeneneh Ezra
Emperor Haile Selassie
Fekadu Gemechu
Uncle
Mersha Getahun
Bartender
Tigist Gurma
Motel Manager
Benito Mussolini
Himself (archive footage)
Hristo Petkov
Archery coach
Ekaterina Petrova
Journalist
Assefa Tegene
Male Border Guard
Zelalem Yetagesu
Rude Officer
Directed by
Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew
Written by
Mikael Awake, Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew
Produced by
Rasselas Lakew, Davey Frankel, Darryn Welch