Girlfight

Theatrical Release Date: 2000 09 29 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 043396056688

Studio: Columbia TriStar

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Adult Language, Watch With Your Teen]

Summary: Karyn Kusama makes her debut with this sensitive, subtly told coming-of-age story about boxing and love. Diana (Michelle Rodriguez) is a tough though painfully honest girl living in Brooklyn. Surly, frustrated, and directionless, Diana seems to have a ticket on the express train to expulsion; she repeatedly finds herself in detention and schoolyard fights. At home, her weak though abusive single father Sandro (Paul Calderon) clearly favorites her bookish brother Tiny (Ray Santiago) over her. While running an errand for her father, Diana finds herself in one of New York's more renowned boxing gyms, and she instantly connects to the same. Though traditionally a thoroughly male pastime in Latino culture, Diana perseveres and gains self-worth thanks to the help of gruff Panamanian trainer Hector (Jaime Tirelli). Soon Hector assumes the role of Diana's father from her deadbeat biological progenitor. As Diana gains physical strength and agility in the ring, she finds herself drawn to the dashing boxer Adrian (Santiago Douglas), who is supposedly involved with someone else. Slowly though, the two give into their mutual attraction and fall completely in love. Fate intervenes when the two lovers are scheduled to fight one another in the ring, forcing each to choose boxing or love. Executive-produced by none other than John Sayles, this film received rave reviews at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: Best Director - Drama – Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic – Sundance Film Festival Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actress – National Board of Review Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking – National Board of Review Best First Feature – Independent Spirit Awards Best Debut Performance – Independent Spirit Awards

Features: Digitally mastered audio and anamorphic video
Widescreen presentation
Audio: English 5.1 [Dolby Digital] and 2-channel [Dolby Surround], French
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Director's commentary
Making-of featurette
Trailers
Interactive menus
Scene selections

Girlfight

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 03/27/2001

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard, 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DDS Dolby Digital Surround

Runtime: 111 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Scene Selections
0. Scene Selections
0. Scene Selections
1. Start [1:23]
2. 4th Fight This Semester [4:58]
3. Hector [2:31]
4. Family Dinner [4:06]
5. "I Wanna Be A Boxer." [4:32]
6. Rule #1 [1:09]
7. Training Begins [4:04]
8. Training Continues [2:40]
9. Too Much Power [2:00]
10. A Fighter In Panama [4:48]
11. Sparring [2:36]
12. A Ride Home [5:03]
13. Lightweight Action [2:55]
14. Dinner With Adrian [2:25]
15. Sweet Not Salty [3:52]
16. Physical Fitness Exam [3:56]
17. Wise Advice [1:06]
18. Keeping A Lid On It [3:42]
19. Hector's Birthday Party [1:53]
20. Sparring With Adrian [2:58]
21. Raymond vs. Diana [5:25]
22. "You Belong To Me." [5:18]
23. Ex-100% Man? [3:26]
24. Managing Her Power [3:52]
25. Stiles vs Guzman [1:07]
26. "I Won't Fight You." [5:38]
27. Adrian vs Diana [4:10]
28. Respect [9:45]
Scene Selections
0. Scene Selections
0. Scene Selections
1. Start [1:23]
2. 4th Fight This Semester [4:58]
3. Hector [2:31]
4. Family Dinner [4:06]
5. "I Wanna Be A Boxer." [4:32]
6. Rule #1 [1:09]
7. Training Begins [4:04]
8. Training Continues [2:40]
9. Too Much Power [2:00]
10. A Fighter In Panama [4:48]
11. Sparring [2:36]
12. A Ride Home [5:03]
13. Lightweight Action [2:55]
14. Dinner With Adrian [2:25]
15. Sweet Not Salty [3:52]
16. Physical Fitness Exam [3:56]
17. Wise Advice [1:06]
18. Keeping A Lid On It [3:42]
19. Hector's Birthday Party [1:53]
20. Sparring With Adrian [2:58]
21. Raymond vs. Diana [5:25]
22. "You Belong To Me." [5:18]
23. Ex-100% Man? [3:26]
24. Managing Her Power [3:52]
25. Stiles vs. Guzman [1:07]
26. "I won't Fight You." [5:38]
27. Adrian vs. Diana [4:10]
28. Respect [9:45]

Jonathan Crow

Girlfight has all of the strengths of Kusama's mentor and executive producer John Sayles, but none of his weaknesses. Like Sayles, Kusama has created complex, subtly shaded characters who seem to leap off the screen. Unlike Sayles, whose film style can seem stiff and plodding, Kusama's work is agile and sure-footed. The story unfolds naturally and effortlessly, and clearly the director has a feel for both the outer boroughs of New York and the intricacies of boxing. As Diana, Michelle Rodriguez gives one of the most electrifying performances in recent memory. Possessing both a rough beauty and a gaze that can melt steel, she is utterly believable as a teenager trying to come into her own and as a fighter who can swing a mean right hook. Both a gritty character study and a feel-good film with no cheap emotional payoffs, Girlfight is a richly entertaining work and an example of American independent filmmaking at its finest. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Sarah Green  Producer 
Maggie Renzi  Producer 
John Sayles  Executive Producer 
Caroline Kaplan  Executive Producer 
Jonathan Sehring  Executive Producer 
Theodore Shapiro  Composer (Music Score) 
Karyn Kusama  Director 
Karyn Kusama  Screenwriter 
Martha Griffin  Producer 
Michelle Rodriguez  Actor 
Jaime Tirelli  Actor 
Paul Calderon  Actor 
Santiago Douglas  Actor 
Ray Santiago  Actor 
Victor Sierra  Actor 
Elisa Bocanegra  Actor 
Shannon Walker Williams  Actor 
Louis Guss  Actor 
Herb Lovelle  Actor 
Thomas Barbour  Actor 
J.P. Linton  Actor 
Iris Little Thomas  Actor 
Dadi Pinero  Actor 
Belqui Ortiz  Actor 
Anthony Ruiz  Actor 
Jose Rabelo  Actor 
John Sayles  Actor 

Country: USA