In a partnership with the Long Beach Public Library, MusicUNTOLD, and everyone here at the Long Beach Post, we are proud to present a special community cinema screening of the documentary Strong!.

The film will screen tonight at 6:00pm at the Long Beach Public Library, Main Library Auditorium located at 101 Pacific Avenue.

Strong! is one of those pieces of art that seamlessly melds determination and doubt, success and self-image. It follows Cheryl Haworth, an Olympian heavyweight lifter who was the bronze medalist in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Following a devastating elbow injury, the film continues to follow her all the way to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

She, of course, defies categories. An artist. An athlete. And a talent that makes her one of the — if not THE — top American weightlifter, exceeding both men and women. But her awkward body — five-foot-eight with some 300 pounds of muscle — puts her on the fringe with regards to the normal, everyday life activities that many of us take for granted.

The question that is the epicenter of the film — Is this worth it? — takes on multiple facets as we watch Cheryl’s tale unfold.

Admission is free.