Long before Venus or Serena came to dominate the tennis courts, there was Althea Gibson.

At one point she was hailed as the number one player in the world. Ms Gibson became the first African-American to play and win at Wimbledon. She also went on to secure gold medals at the US Nationals and French Open during her prolific career.

Still she faced more adversity than any other tennis player in history.

Ms Gibson’s inspirational story will be featured in the documentary, Althea, screening at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute on Sunday at 5.15pm.

Growing up on the rough streets of Harlem, Ms Gibson “emerged as a most unlikely queen of the segregated tennis world in the 1950s”.

“Althea Gibson blazed a trail for those who came after her,” said Duncan Hall, the Weekend Film Series programmer. “Her story transcends sports — she was an uncompromising individual and a unique trailblazer.”

The tennis champion was reportedly friends with Bermuda’s own tennis star, Russell Dismont.

Because he was “coloured”, Mr Dismont was only allowed to play at the Island’s tennis clubs twice a year. On at least one occasion he and Ms Gibson ignored this rule and were ordered off the local courts.

According to Wikipedia: “They both faked deafness and continued their game. As a consequence, Mr Dismont was later refused access to the [tennis club] premises completely.”

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story also screens Sunday, at 3pm.

The film has won awards at festivals across Canada.

Made by the creators of The Clean Bin Project, the documentary tells the story of a couple who pledge to survive only on food that has been discarded.

It shows images of all the squandered groceries they found, which are “both shocking and strangely compelling”.

“The filmmakers dive into the issue of food waste from farm, through retail, all the way to the back of their own fridge,” Mr Hall said. “It also looks at our systemic obsession with expiry dates, perfect produce and portion size in a cinematic story that is equal parts education and delicious entertainment.

“After the film, stay for a Q and A segment with Margaret Ward, the executive director of Bermuda’s Eliza DoLittle Society.

“The mission of the charity is to alleviate hunger and reduce food wastage in Bermuda by rescuing and distributing food to Bermuda’s hungry.”

Mr Hall asks everyone who attends to bring a non-perishable food item with them. The goods will then be distributed to families in need.

Tickets to both film screenings are on sale now for $15 at Oceans Gift Shop at BUEI.

Visit www.bermudadocs.com for more information.