Director:  Yiorgos Panteleakis

Englisht title:  Boxer

2014/ Greece/ HD/ 55’/ Colour

SYNOPSIS

The Doc is following the steps of and old time «Boxer» and now head Trainer of «Aristotelio Boxing Club», Yiorgos Ioannidis. Ioannides won every Championship that he participated in his career until he retired. He was National champion for nine consecutive years in Greek Amateur Boxing (Olympic style), won «Golden Gloves» tournaments, 4 «Acropolis Cup» tournaments and participated in the 1988 Seoul Olympic games. A father of four married to mathematician Anna Margaritis, who is also a two times Greek National Champion. A Gymnastics Academy Graduate and a painter, has turned trainer and has his own Club, «Aristotelio Boxing Club» since he retired from competing in 1994. In this club whatever “Amateur Greek Boxing” stands for, is reflected and cultivated. In the film another side of what is considered to be a “Brutal and Bloody Sport “ is documented. Yet though the sport of «Boxing» has originated in Greece the style that is vastly adopted is the Russian or rather Eastern style. We follow “Boxers” from all venues while they train in the city of Athens, through its Urban crowded streets and underground boxing clubs.The principles of the discipline are being explored by old time Champions and trainers revealing hidden aspects of the sport and what goes through a fighters mind. Watch fellow ex champions and Olympic winners such as Yiorgos Stefanopoulos, Cuban mythical fighter Felix Savon, former Welter weight Champion «Mighty Mike Arnaoutis» and a living legend, the 75 year old Yiorgos Kapantaidakis who is still coaching, reflect upon the nobility of their sport and the love and respect that they share amongst them in this hierarchical line of champions-trainers,covering a fifty year legacy in Greece.

CREDITS

Script: Yiorgos Panteleakis; Leading actors: Ioanides Yiorgos, Mighty Mike Arnaoutis, Felix Savon; Producer: IGC (Independent Greek Cinema)

FILMOGRAPHY

He studied BA Performing Arts in Baltimore Essex College, U.S.A. (not completed)and BSc Physics in UMass Lowell, U.S.A. (not completed) Higher Degree Drama School Akis Davis (Athens Greece)He is a full member off Greek Director’s Guild, European Federation International Federation M.E.I.F.E.R.A., Equity U.K and Greek Actors Union.He is directing on Cinema (getting awards from his first films )and Theatre and playing as an actor.He has been engaged in research on Tragic Logos of Ancient Greek Drama for the past twelve years, conducting plays carried out in the original Archaic dialect searching for the lost Sound and body language. As a natural outcome he creates the Theatrical Research Group “Methodos” and the Union for the Performing Arts &Science “Methodos”based in Greece. He creates Independent Greek Cinema (www. IGC.gr)I an Athens-based film production company focusing in Art Films. Its aim is to redefine the compass of Film making, in an attempt to allow spectators and spectacle, merge in a new level of awareness.Because an idea is a resilient thing.

AWARDS

8th Docfest Chalkida Film Festival 2014, Best Director Award; 16th Thessaloniki International Doc Film Festival 2014, Finalist At Greek Academy Film Awards Doc Award 2014