The Christopher Reeve 'Super/Man' documentary left Sundance in tears, applause: What to know

A new documentary film on the actor Christopher Reeve, popular for his role in the 1978 film "Superman" is making waves on social media for its raw and intimate look into the late actor's life.

The film, directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, that documents Reeve's life premiered at the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The film was met with tears, applause and "rousing standing ovation," according to The Guardian.

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Here's everything that you need to know about the film, including its release date.

What is 'Super/Man' about?

"Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" follows the life of the celebrated actor before and after a horse-riding accident left him permanently paralyzed from neck down, according to the Sundance Film Festival.

"Using intimate footage of Reeve and his family, Bonhôte and Ettedgui paint a picture of a real-life hero known for his iconic role as Superman," says Sundance about the film. "To people who knew him and spent time with him, he was so much more than that. He was a champion for the disabled community, and Bonhôte and Ettedgui made it their mission to make that a focal point of the film, highlighting not just Reeve’s legacy but that of his children, who work to carry out his mission through The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation."

The film includes footage of the actor and his family from home videos and interviews with Reeve’s three children and his fellow actors. Much of the film has been narrated by Reeve himself, "his words transplanted from the two audiobook versions of his memoirs," reports The Guardian.

"Super/Man" also explores Reeve's friendship with actor Robin Williams, with whom he went to The Juilliard School in New York and shared a close bond.

What happened to Christopher Reeve?

Reeve was involved in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

After his accident, Reeve took up philanthropy and became an activist for spinal cord injury treatments and disability rights.

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When did Christopher Reeve die?

Reeve died on Oct. 12, 2004, of heart failure at the age of 52. After years of being in the wheelchair, Reeve developed a pressure wound, a common complication for people in wheelchairs. The wound became severely infected, and the infection spread through the body pushing the actor into coma after which he suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away, according to a 2004 New York Times report.

Where to watch 'Super/Man'?

It might be a while until you get the chance to see "Super/Man" because movies screened at film festivals are shown in hopes of selling the movie to a studio to distribute it. For example, Netflix bought the worldwide rights for Greg Jardin's thriller "It's What's Inside," also screened at the Sundance Film Festival, for approximately $17 million, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter.

"Super/Man's" makers have not yet revealed if they are in talks with any distributors regarding the film's future.

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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.