The People's Fighters: Teofilo Stevenson and the Legend of Cuban Boxing is a 2018 documentary film directed by Peter Berg and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza that aired on the Olympic Channel in the United States.[1] Narrated by Peter Berg, the documentary includes archival footage as well as interviews with other Cuban Olympic medal winners.[2]
| The People's Fighters: Teofilo Stevenson and the Legend of Cuban Boxing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary film |
| Written by | Diego Hurtado de Mendoza Jon Weinbach |
| Directed by | Peter Berg Diego Hurtado de Mendoza |
| Narrated by | Peter Berg |
| Music by | Arturo Cardelús |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original languages | English Spanish |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Federico di Mojana Yiannis Exarchos Greg Groggel Frank Marshall Mark Parkman Michael Tollin Jon Weinbach |
| Producer | Diego Hurtado de Mendoza |
| Cinematography | Jon Aguirresarobe Diego Hurtado de Mendoza |
| Editor | Javier Dampierre |
| Running time | 87 minutes |
| Production companies | Mandalay Sports Media (MSM) The Kennedy/Marshall Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | Olympic Channel |
| Release | May 31, 2018 |
Plot
editWith a population of just 11 million people, Cuba has produced the most Olympic boxing medalists of any country in the world, winning 73 Olympic medals including 38 gold medals in the past 50 years. The documentary examines Teófilo Stevenson's career as well as the phenomenon of boxing in Cuba overall.
Cast
editProduction
editThe film was produced as the second film in the Five Rings Films series.[2][3][4] Filming took place in the United States and Cuba.[5]
Broadcast
editThe film was broadcast on the Olympic Channel in the United States[1] on May 31, 2018.[5][3][6][7]
Reception
editESPN staff writer Nigel Collins wrote, "Those who have not seen the freakish power in Stevenson's right hand are in for a treat. The documentary celebrates his dominance with footage of Teofilo dispatching U.S. hopefuls Duane Bobick, Tyrell Briggs and John Tate with alarming ease." He continued, "One of major strengths of 'The People's Fighter' is allowing the story to be told from the Cuban point of view. Berg's narration is smooth and informative but never presumptuous. The opinions are those of the people on the ground, the ones that count, the real stars of the film."[8]
The International Sport Movies TV Federation called it "an in-depth look at Cuba’s overwhelming history of success in the sport of boxing."[9]
References
edit- ^ a b "The People's Fighters | Five Rings Films". Olympic Channel.
- ^ a b "The People's Fighters puts Cuban boxing in the spotlight - Olympic News". International Olympic Committee. February 5, 2019.
- ^ a b Boxing, Round. "The People's Fighters: New Documentary Airing May 31 Provides Unprecedented Look at Cuban Boxing | Round By Round Boxing".
- ^ "Olympic Channel releases "The People's Fighters," Peter Berg's doc on Cuban boxing". June 11, 2018.
- ^ a b Channel, Olympic. "Olympic Channel's Five Rings Films Debuts The People's Fighters, An Unprecedented Look At Cuban Boxing During A Period Of Historic Change, Directed By Acclaimed Filmmaker Peter Berg". www.prnewswire.com.
- ^ "Olympic Channel estrena The People's Fighters, de la saga Five Rings Films, donde el boxeo cubano se muestra de forma única durante un período de cambio histórico, dirigida por el aclamado realizador Peter Berg". May 31, 2018.
- ^ Esco, Wil (May 30, 2018). "'The People's Fighter': 50 Years of Cuban Boxing". Bad Left Hook.
- ^ "Teofilo Stevenson, the people's fighter". ESPN.com. June 12, 2018.
- ^ "The people's fighters: Teofilo Stevenson and the legend of cuban boxing".