Charles Mingus: Triumph of the Underdog (1997)

This documentary focuses on the life and music of jazz composer Charles Mingus (1922-1979), combining archival footage and interviews with two of his wives, Sue Mingus (a co-producer of this film) and Celia Mingus Zaentz, plus a variety of performers and past Mingus associates, including Dannie Richmond and John Handy. The film concludes with the posthumous premiere of Mingus' "Epitaph." The title of this documentary is a reference to Mingus' controversial autobiography, Beneath the Underdog. Shown at the 1997 London Film Festival.