Spirit of the Game

If you had to summarize Randy Baleski's philosophy, you could probably do it in three words: "Boxing saves kids." A Winnipeg high school teacher and former boxer, Baleski has a unique approach to helping students at risk of not graduating: get them in the ring. Fight profiles two of these young men: Rene Catcheway and Melvin Delorme. Both are Indigenous teens with troubled backgrounds. Melvin remembers his mother drinking and bringing home "random guys"-including one who tried to choke him. Rene lives on his own and is failing most of his courses. Enter the world of boxing. As Melvin and Rene push themselves through one gruelling workout after another (push-ups, skipping, sparring), they slowly come to understand that boxing is more a way of life than a sport. You don't box. You become a boxer-someone whose life is governed by discipline and respect. But boxing alone may not be enough to overcome a lifetime of figurative hard knocks. Melvin is committed to graduating and completing post-secondary studies. Rene is feeling more and more disillusioned with school. With Baleski in their corner, can they make it?

A group of young Afghan women strive to become world-class boxers, training without the benefit of even the most basic facilities at the national stadium, where only recently women were executed by the Taliban. They are loyal to their country, yet dare to defy its traditions. Inspired by their tenacious coach, these courageous boxers openly dream of their future, and even a shot at the 2012 Olympics. Committed to a challenging regime and enduring family and societal pressures to abandon their training, the women are determined to fight their way onto an international stage. The film shadows them closely over the course of a year, and we come to know them both as individuals and as a team of competitors punching well above their weight. The Boxing Girls of Kabul reveals a compelling journey of both personal and political transformation, and illustrates the power of fighting for what you believe in.

This film looks at the ritual, tradition and legend of the moccasin game, an ancient and popular form of gambling said to have originated with the Sioux. A tournament held at the Sioux Valley Reservation near Brandon, Manitoba, brings together Sioux from both Canada and the United States to compete for high stakes in what is believed to be the oldest sleight-of-hand game in the world.