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T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold Premieres
on Independent Lens -Tuesday, August 2, 2016 on PBS
Source/Press Release
June 27, 2016 |
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(JUNE 27) Broadcast of
Documentary About Claressa Shields and Her Journey to Become the
First American Woman to Win Boxing Gold Medal Timed to Coincide
with Her Return to the 2016 Summer Olympics
(San Francisco, CA) – T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold is the
coming-of-age story of boxing phenom Claressa “T-Rex” Shields
from Flint, MI. Sheilds was just 17 years old when she won the
gold medal for
women’s boxing in 2012 — the first time women were allowed to
box in the Olympic games. Directed by Drea Cooper and Zackary
Canepari and produced by Sue Jaye Johnson, the film’s broadcast
is
timed to coincide with Claressa’s return to the Olympic boxing
ring at the Rio de Janeiro games this summer. The film premieres
on Independent Lens Tuesday, August 2, 2016, 10:00-11:30 PM ET
(check local listings) on PBS.
Claressa Shields was 13 years old
when it was announced that women would be allowed to box in the
2012 Olympics. Athough she’d only been boxing for two years, her
coach, Jason Crutchfield, predicted she would be there — and
that she would win gold. It was an audacious dream for Shields,
whose prior aspirations included having ten kids by the time she
was 26.
Growing up, Claressa’s father was in prison, her mother
struggled with addiction and Claressa bounced between homes. To
accomplish her dream, she would need a stable life. Coach Jason
and his family took her in, housed her, and kept her focused.
Co-directors Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari and producer Sue
Jaye Johnson met Shields and Crutchfield before she qualified
for the Olympics and filmed them for the next two years as they
navigated
the pressure of Olympic competition, family drama, and
Claressa’s attempts to find love and support in the neglected
city of Flint.
When Claressa stands on top of the podium in London, clutching
her gold medal and laughing uncontrollably, she, like many
around her, thought her struggles were behind her. But back
home, as Claressa
and Jason watch fellow athletes receive recognition and
endorsements, no one comes forward to support her raising
questions about race and class and gender bias. Agents suggest
she should soften her image. “She’s not going to do that,”
says co-director Zackary Canepari. “She’s raw and honest. And
stubborn. She wants to succeed on her own terms.”
The team continued to document Shields and her coach for six
months after their return from the Olympics as even their close
father-daughter bond strained under the pressure. “It was a huge
challenge,” said co-director Drea Cooper. “Even for Claressa,
with all her talent and determination, it was a struggle not to
give up.”
“Claressa’s story is universal,” says Producer Sue Jaye Johnson,
“but there is also this great girl angle. She is pushing the
boundaries of what is acceptable for girls everywhere.”
To date, Claressa has lost
only once. With a record of 69-1, she is ranked number
one in the world heading into her second Olympic
competition.
Visit the T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold page on Independent
Lens, which features more information about the film.
About the Team
Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper (Directors) have been
working together since 2009. They’ve produced and
directed the award-winning online short documentary
series California is a place. With
over ten million views online, the films have screened
at film festivals around the world, including Sundance.
Their compelling visual style and deeply personal
storytelling has earned Cooper and
Canepari award nominations from IDFA DocLab for best
digital storytelling and documentary project of the year
by POYi (Pictures of the Year International). The
directing duo landed on Filmmaker Magazine’s Top 25 New
Filmmakers to Watch list. They’re also an accomplished
commercial directing team.
Sue Jaye Johnson (Producer) began documenting Shields in
2011 at her first elite boxing tournament. She then
spearheaded an unprecedented collaboration between the
NYT, NPR and WNYC to
document the first women to box in the Olympics. “Teen
Contender”, the feature radio documentary she
co-produced with Radio Diaries followed Claressa’s
journey to the Olympics and won a Peabody Award.
CREDITS
Directed by Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari
Produced by Sue Jay Johnson
Additional Producers Bianca Darville
Gary Kout
Zackary Canepari
Drea Cooper
Edited by Jean Kawahara
Drea Cooper
Original Music by Matthew Joynt
Nathan Sandberg
Cinematography by Zackary Canepari
Drea CooperLinks:
Link to tix and info on the Screening is here:
The film is on Vimeo now so everyone can rent or own
it.
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