Girlfight (2000)

Director:

Karyn Kusama

Writer:

Karyn Kusama (written by)

Release Date:

23 November 2000 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Prove them wrong

Plot:

Diana, without her father knowing it, trains as a boxer and achieves impressive success, blazing new trails for female boxers.

Plot Keywords:

Boxer | Female Boxer | Boxing Trainer | Women Boxing | Father Daughter Relationship

Awards:

15 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Michelle Rodriguez	...	Diana Guzman
Jaime Tirelli	...	Hector Soto
Paul Calderon	...	Sandro Guzman
Santiago Douglas	...	Adrian Sturges
Ray Santiago	...	Tiny Guzman
Víctor Sierra	...	Ray Cortez
Elisa Bocanegra	...	Marisol
Shannon Walker Williams	...	Veronica
Louis Guss	...	Don
Herb Lovelle	...	Cal
Thomas Barbour	...	Ira
Graciella Ortiz	...	Female Student
J.P. Linton	...	Mr. Price
Iris Little Thomas	...	Ms. Martinez
Dadi Pinero	...	Edward
Belqui Ortiz	...	Karina
Chuck Hickey	...	Gym Janitor
Anthony Ruiz	...	Tino
José Rabelo	...	Al
José Espinal	...	Ray's Friend
John Sayles	...	Science Teacher
Jack R. Marks	...	Pawnbroker
Yiyo Guzman	...	Ray's Corner Man
Diane Martella	...	Gym Coach
Michael Bentt	...	Fight Pro
Gus Santorella	...	Fight Pro Posse
Courtney Krause	...	Fight Pro Posse
Edgardo Claudio	...	Referee
Millie Tirelli	...	Candice
Allan Gropper	...	Referee
Alicia Ashley	...	Ricki Stiles
Danny Gant	...	Referee
Josephine Pignataro	...	Wife
Sanford Redock	...	Announcer
Allie Woods Jr.	...	Janitor
Ricky Colon	...	Boxer
Andre Eason	...	Boxer
Jose Espinal	...	Boxer
Angel Gonzalez	...	Boxer
Gabby Guzman	...	Boxer
Andy Hernandez	...	Boxer
Carlos Hernandez Jr.	...	Boxer
Carlos Henandez Sr.	...	Boxer
Daniel Judah	...	Boxer
Christian Leyba	...	Boxer
Paul Maldonado	...	Boxer
Angel Osvaldo	...	Boxer
Ralphie Rivera	...	Boxer
Donnell Smith	...	Boxer
Angel Torres	...	Boxer
Angel Vega	...	Boxer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José Alvarez	...	Ralph (uncredited)
Doy Gabriel Castillo	...	Boxing Fan (uncredited)
Gabriel Castillo	...	Boxing Fan (uncredited)
Joyce Garland	...	Hot Dog Patron (uncredited)
Michael Sash	...	Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)

Directed by
Karyn Kusama

Writing credits
Karyn Kusama		(written by)

Produced by
Sarah Green	....	producer
Martha Griffin	....	producer
Caroline Kaplan	....	executive producer
Maggie Renzi	....	producer
John Sayles	....	executive producer
Jonathan Sehring	....	executive producer
Craig H. Shepherd	....	line producer

Original Music by
Gene McDaniels
Theodore Shapiro

Cinematography by
Patrick Cady

Film Editing by
Plummy Tucker

Casting by
Ellyn Long Marshall
Maria E. Nelson

Production Design by
Stephen Beatrice

Art Direction by
Miguel Fernandez

Costume Design by
Marco Cattoretti
Luca Mosca

Makeup Department
Dana Elder	....	assistant makeup artist
Lorraine Godfrey	....	assistant hair stylist
Evelyne Noraz	....	makeup supervisor
Kerrie R. Plant	....	hair stylist supervisor (as Kerrie Plant)
Alessandra Sanitate	....	additional hair stylist
Alessandra Sanitate	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Gwen Bialic	....	production manager
Cynthia Markins-Dieden	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carrie Fix	....	first assistant director
Rebecca Rivo	....	assistant director
Jason Rothenberg	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
James Berroya	....	art production assistant
Jeffrey A. Brown	....	props production assistant
Jeremy Buhler	....	carpenter
Lawrence Cromwell	....	carpenter
Jesse Epstein	....	property master
Maya Erdelyi	....	art department intern
Andrew Goesselin	....	carpenter
Shelley Herbert	....	co-property master
Shelley Herbert	....	property master
Bryan Kaczkin	....	carpenter
Martha Keavney	....	art department intern
Brian Kraft	....	carpenter
Jennifer Kuipers	....	carpenter
Lori Merhige	....	art department intern
Brian O'Connell	....	carpenter
Thomas Radvany	....	carpenter
Ben Telford	....	carpenter
Ewan Telford	....	carpenter (as Ben Telford)

Sound Department
Ajae Clearway	....	assistant sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Fabrizio Donati	....	audio restorer (2009)
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jason Kaplan	....	adr engineer
Judy Karp	....	sound mixer
Andrew Kris	....	additional sound re-recording engineer
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer (as George Lara)
Geoff Lippman	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Geof Lipman)
Mary Ellen Porto	....	sound
Mary Ellen Porto	....	supervising sound editor
Esther Regelson	....	dialog editor
Jaime Reyes	....	boom operator
Juan Carlos Zaldívar	....	dialog editor
Juan Carlos Zaldívar	....	dialogue editor

Stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jay Alaimo	....	additional grip
Gerard Berardi	....	additional grip
Ariel Boles	....	additional grip
Eric Boncher	....	rigging gaffer
Jim Bridges	....	still photographer (as James Bridges)
Deborah Brozina	....	additional second assistant camera (as Debra Brozina)
Renzo Spirit Buffalo	....	additional first assistant camera (as Lorenzo Spirit Buffalo)
Caesar Carnevale	....	additional second assistant camera
Elizabeth Casinelli	....	additional best boy electric
Jesse Champ	....	additional second assistant camera
Aryn Chapman	....	second assistant camera
Matt Craig	....	additional grip
Todd Csernecky	....	best boy electric
Theresa Dillon	....	additional photographer
Patrick J. Donnelly	....	camera operator (as Pat Donnelly)
Eric Gearity	....	rigging grip
Abbot Genser	....	additional photographer
Jim Hair	....	additional first assistant camera
Matthew Hale	....	best boy grip (as Matt Hale)
Chris Karlof	....	additional electrician
Stuart Kaufman	....	rigging electrician
Stuart Kaufman	....	rigging grip
Stephanie Martin	....	additional grip
Ed Mattson	....	rigging grip (as Edward Mattson)
John McAleer	....	first assistant camera
Brian McKee	....	key grip
Andrea Morini	....	additional photographer
Alexa D. O'Brien	....	additional electric
Quinn Pawlan	....	grip
Kate Phelan	....	gaffer
Steve Ramsey	....	rigging gaffer (as Steven Ramsey)
Catherine Rios	....	camera intern
Adam Silver	....	company electrician
Ron Travisano	....	assistant camera: "b" camera
Joshua Van Praag	....	company grip
Bryan Wachtel	....	additional grip
Andrew T. Watts	....	additional electrician (as Andrew Watts)
Erin Wile	....	electrician
Timothy Wood	....	additional electrician

Casting Department
Kristine Bulakowski	....	extras casting
Nestor Ortiz	....	extras casting intern
Driss Tijani	....	extras casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gabriela Bunader	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mariana Vera	....	wardrobe intern

Editorial Department
Fred Heid	....	color timer: New York
Bob La Rossa	....	color timer: Los Angeles (as Robert J. La Rossa)
Mia Lee	....	assistant editor
Becky Morrison	....	apprentice editor
Kriss Parnell	....	editing intern
Ken Rubenfeld	....	dailies colorist
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher

Music Department
Isaac Albéniz	....	composer: theme music
Nancy Allen	....	music editor
Lois Dilivio	....	music supervisor
Gary Harris	....	music supervisor
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Carlos Santana	....	composer: song "Olympic Festival"
Carlos Santana	....	musician: guitar, "Olympic Festival" (as Santana)
Theodore Shapiro	....	music producer
Michael Tudor	....	music mixer
Michael Tudor	....	music recordist

Other crew
Gwen Bialic	....	production coordinator
Melanie Cadham	....	office intern
Andrea Cairoli	....	set intern
Suzanne Ceresko	....	production office manager
Kathy Ciric	....	location manager
Andy Goldman	....	title designer: main and end titles
Candy Halikas	....	office intern
Marilena Hatoupis	....	office intern
Pavlina Hatoupis	....	product placement coordinator
Andy Hernandez	....	production assistant
Pedro Kos	....	office intern
Pedro Kos	....	production intern
Greg Larico	....	set intern
Melissa Lintinger	....	post-production accountant
Scott Mickulas	....	set production assistant
Shawn Parrish	....	set production assistant
May Redding	....	set intern
Bear Schmidt	....	location assistant
Phoebe Shackeroff	....	assistant coordinator
Susan Silas	....	key production accountant
George D. Simms Jr.	....	set production assistant
Curtis Smith	....	key production assistant
John Tagamolila	....	production assistant
Wahn Yoon	....	assistant: Martha Griffin
Martin Zinkel	....	set production assistant
Robert Smithline	....	intern (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Green/Renzi
• Independent Film Channel (IFC)

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox (2001) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Diaphana Films (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Fox Films A/S (2001) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (2001) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Keyfilms Roma (2001) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Screen Gems (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• Shôchiku Eiga (2001) (Japan) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2001) (Germany) (VHS)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• AKME Sound  audio post facility
• All Payments Services  payroll
• Capitol Records  soundtrack
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering
• Great Northern Brokerage Services  insurance
• HSBC Bank Canada  production bank
• Hand Held Films  camera equipment provided by
• MasterSource  additional source sound
• Match Cut Film Services  negative cutting
• Production Arts  grip and lighting equipment
• REI Media Group  opticals
• Shadow Studios  grip and lighting equipment
• Sound One Corporation  sound re-recording
• TMF Studios, Manhattan  music recording and mixing

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Canada:14A (video rating) | France:U | Germany:6 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #37440)

Filming Locations:

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Green/Renzi

Trivia:

Michelle Rodriguez trained for two months before the 30-day shoot began. She was also chosen over 300 other women to be cast in the film. It was her first audition.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the girls are lined up to do chin-ups, the girl in the purple shirt changes from being in front of Diana to behind her.

Quotes:

Diana:How does it feel to have someone so much like you so close to you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Fried Neck Bones and Some Home Fries

Drama That Rings of Honesty

The first step to getting off of that road that leads to nowhere is recognizing that you're on it in the first place; then it becomes a matter of being assertive and taking positive steps to overcome the negative influences in your life that may have put you on that road to begin with. Which is exactly what a young Latino girl does in `Girlfight,' written and directed by Karyn Kusama. Diana (Michelle Rodriguez) is an eighteen-year-old High School senior from the projects in Brooklyn, facing expulsion after her fourth fight in the halls since the beginning of the semester. She affects a `whatever' attitude which masks a deep-seated anger that threatens to take her into places she'd rather not go. She lives with her father, Sandro (Paul Calderon), with whom she has a very tentative relationship, and her younger brother, Tiny (Ray Santiago). With her life teetering on the brink of dissolution, she desperately needs an outlet through which to channel the demons that plague her. And one day she finds it, without even looking for it, when she stops by the gym where Tiny trains. Ironically, Tiny wants nothing to do with boxing; he wants to go to art school, but Sandro is determined that his son should be able to take care of himself on the streets, and pays the ten dollars a week it costs for his lessons. When Diana convinces Tiny's trainer, Hector (Jaime Tirelli), to take her on, and approaches her father for the money, under the guise of calling it a weekly allowance (she doesn't want him to know what she wants the money for), Sandro turns her down and tells her to go out and earn her own money. Ultimately, with Tiny's help she finds a way, and the ring soon becomes her second home. It's an environment to which she readily adapts, and it appears that her life is about to take a turn for the better. And the fact that she will have to fight men, not women, in `gender blind' competitions, does not faze her in the least. Diana has found her element.

First time writer/director Karyn Kusama has done a terrific job of creating a realistic setting for her story, presenting an honest portrait of life in the projects and conveying that desperation so familiar to so many young people who find themselves in dead-end situations and on that road that leads to nowhere. And there's no candy coating on it, either; as Hector tells Diana when she asks him how he came to be where he is, `I was a fighter once. I lost.' Then, looking around the busy gym, `Like most of these guys, they're going to lose, too. But it's all they know--' And it's that honesty of attitude, as well as the way in which the characters are portrayed, that makes this movie as good as it is. It's a bleak world, underscored by the dimly lit, run-down gym-- you can fairly smell the sweat of the boxers-- and that sense of desolation that hangs over it all like a pall, blanketing these people who are grasping and hanging on to the one and only thing they have, all that they know.

Making her screen debut, Michelle Rodriguez is perfectly cast as Diana, infusing her with a depth and brooding intensity that fairly radiates off of her in waves. She is so real that it makes you wonder how much of it is really Rodriguez; exactly where does the actor leave off and the character begin? Whatever it is, it works. It's a powerful, memorable performance, by an actor from whom we will await another endeavor with great anticipation. She certainly makes Diana a positive role model, one in whom many hopefully will find inspiration and the realization that there are alternative paths available in life, at least to those who would seek them out.

As positive as this film is, however, it ends on something of an ambiguous note; though Diana obviously has her feet on the ground, there's no indication of where she's headed. Is this a short term fix for her, or is she destined to become the female counterpart of Hector? After all, realistically (and in light of the fact that the realism is one of the strengths of this film), professional boxing isn't exactly a profession that lends itself to, nor opens it's arms to women. And in keeping with the subject matter of the film, and the approach of the filmmaker, an affirmation of the results of Diana's assertiveness would have been appropriate.

The supporting cast includes Santiago Douglas (Adrian), Elisa Bocanegra (Marisol), Alicia Ashley (Ricki) and Thomas Barbour (Ira). Though it delivers a very real picture of life to which many will be able to identify, there are certain aspects of `Girlfight,' that stretch credibility a bit, regarding some of what happens in the ring. That aside, it's a positive film that for the most part is a satisfying experience. I rate this one 7/10.