Emmai Alaquiva Interviews Kevin Acklin for Freddie Fu Doc
Inside one director’s day on set capturing how sport and surgery worlds collide in a film.
Poulami is an associate editor. She did her MA in English from Miranda House, University of Delhi and has qualified UGC-NET. She also holds a PG diploma in Editing and Publishing from Jadavpur University. Her journey as a content writer began in 2017 and since then, Poulami has garnered diverse interests along the way.
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Emmai Alaquiva, the award-nominated filmmaker behind projects like The Ebony Canal, just shared a behind-the-scenes peek at her latest endeavor: a feature documentary on the life and legacy of orthopedic trailblazer Dr. Freddie Fu.
Behind The Scenes Of The Freddie Fu Documentary
On her Instagram, Alaquiva posted images from the set (https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7KEMaRYaK/) showing her in conversation with Kevin Acklin, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ longtime style and community executive. “Kevin’s an all-around cool dude who I’m very proud of for his journey at making Pittsburgh and beyond, a better place,” she wrote, adding that it felt like #DayAtTheOffice interviewing such a respected figure.
This film aims to capture Dr. Fu’s impact on sports medicine and the community. In an earlier post (https://www.instagram.com/p/DJOlBhSRiGX/), Alaquiva described the project as “nothing short of miraculous,” praising Fu as “a medical icon, a visionary, and a global force in orthopedic surgery.” Her footage spans operating rooms, training facilities, and candid moments with patients and athletes whose lives Fu transformed.
Kevin Acklin On Sports, Community, And Legacy
Kevin Acklin has spent more than two decades shaping the Penguins’ visual identity and fan engagement. As Senior Director of Style and Uniforms, he led redesigns of the team’s logo and jerseys and spearheads community initiatives, from youth hockey programs to charity events. In our recent interview, Acklin spoke about what Dr. Fu meant to the city: “Freddie didn’t just heal bodies; he put Pittsburgh on the map for sports medicine. We felt it in the locker room, on the ice, and in every young athlete who got a second chance.”
Acklin also reflected on the intersection of sport and health care. “You look at breakthrough surgeries and think of football or hockey, but orthopedic innovation saved careers across all sports. Freddie Fu’s work helped athletes return stronger—he lifted a community’s spirit.”
A Filmmaker’s Personal Mission
For Alaquiva, this is more than a passion project—it’s a testament to perseverance. She’s credited her own journey to guiding narratives of resilience; her Instagram highlights include her acceptance at the Webby Awards for The Ebony Canal, which she directed and featured EGOT legend Viola Davis as narrator. In her words: “From tough times to whispers of doubt… I discovered that true success is measured not by what you achieve, but by how you lift others up along the way.”
Her doc on Dr. Freddie Fu blends archival footage, expert interviews, and community stories to show how one man’s vision can revolutionize patient care and inspire generations. With several high-profile screenings planned in Pittsburgh later this year, audiences will get an intimate look at both the operating table and the neighborhood outreach that defined Fu’s career.
As cameras roll on post-production, Alaquiva continues to champion voices that often go unheard—athletes turned patients, surgeons turned advocates, and fans turned storytellers. With Kevin Acklin’s contributions underscoring sports culture, this documentary promises to bridge the worlds of medicine and athletics in a way few films have done before.
From the rink to the rehab center, the upcoming Freddie Fu documentary is set to remind viewers that healing extends far beyond the hospital walls. Emmai Alaquiva’s day on set interviewing a hockey executive is just the start of a journey into the heart of Pittsburgh’s community spirit and a surgeon’s far-reaching legacy.
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