BLACK ICE -- An Angry and Urgent Indictment of Racism in the NHL

Review by Sean Boelman

Hubert Davis’s documentary Black Ice won the People’s Choice documentary award at the 2022 TIFF, and while part of that might be hometown bias, it’s also just an important film. Black Ice is one of the more effective documentaries about racism in sports, as it refuses to pull any punches for the sake of “uplifting” the audience, instead opting to present an unflinching and uncomfortable portrait of racism.

Black Ice exposes the history of racism in the predominantly white sport of hockey through the words of the Black players who have experienced it — both in the past and in the present. Part of what makes this such an important documentary is that it tells stories very few viewers might be aware of because they are so covered up.

The movie features many Black hockey players from the NHL, as well as hockey historians who are able to add context to their story. The film’s presentation of much of the racism-fueled abuse and harassment these players have faced is often hard to stomach, but it does an exceptional job of opening the audience’s eyes and making us feel bad for them.

This is not a fluff piece by any means. It’s not an inspirational story about athletes of color making a name for themselves despite the odds. The filmmakers and subjects are more interested in offering a searing indictment of a system that frustratingly continues to mistreat these gifted athletes.

Something else that stands out about Black Ice compared to many other sports documentaries is that it is not about the challenges that BIPOC athletes face getting into the sport, but the issues that they face while there. It’s truly upsetting that, even when these players get the attention and opportunities they deserve, they still face disgusting levels of discrimination, racism, and oppression.

There are three main storylines in the movie: the players recounting the racism they experienced, a discussion of the historical racism that has permeated the sport for more than a century, and players training a more diverse next generation of athletes. It’s nice to have the latter element, as it provides a welcome hopeful ending to a dark story.

Director Hubert Davis presents the film in a somewhat straightforward way, combining talking heads, archive materials, and fly-on-the-wall footage. Although the editing and presentation of the movie are nothing special, Davis’s largely unflashy approach allows the focus to be placed firmly where it should be: on the players and their stories.

Black Ice is an interesting documentary that thrives in the urgency and anger of its story. It’s an infuriating film, and not an easy watch, but one that demands to be seen — whether or not you are a hockey fan.

Black Ice hits theaters on July 14.

​Rating: 3.5/5