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I spent weeks filming in Marseille's Quartier nord, a district of the city mainly known in the media for its drug trafficking, gang shootings and kalashnikovs. There, I met an amazing person, named Yvan Sorel. He runs a MMA (Mixed martial Arts) club in the middle of this neighbourhood. Day after day, all on his own, with no support from the state, which gave up on this area a long time ago, he fights to keep the children and teenagers on the right path. It's a film about violence, education, moral values, faith and dignity. Written by Anonymous
French director/producer/writer Nicolas Wadimoff embarked on a film project to cover the Marseiile's Quarteir nord, known for "it's drug trafficking, gang shootings and kalashnikos". Along the way, he met Mixed Martial Arts champion/fighter Yvan Sorel, part hard-ass, mentor, fighter, husband, son and community activist. In a neighborhood long deserted by it's governing body, Yvan has become not only a Martial Arts instructor, but annotated as confidant and principal adviser to a handful of youth who may have otherwise fallen victim to their surrounds. Wadimoff provides a gritty, personal and at times heartbreaking glimpse into a world that few may understand, yet many may be able to relate to. While I'm not a believer that the "sport" of fighting/boxing/martial arts is the only key to "getting out of the neighborhood," SPARTANS does expose that the discipline and training that goes into the sport can strength friendships and build character and dreams. SPARTANS (dubbed in English) was the 2015 Robert Drew Verite Award Winner at the Palm Springs American Documentary Film Festival. The next AmDoc Film Festival is scheduled for March 31- April 20, 2016.