Fists of Pride
“Thai children have more money. Burmese children have no money. They are rich. We are poor. That’s all.” This is how 13-year-old Pho Kyaw ‘Panda’ sees the world while training to challenge a Thai boxer at the annual Water Festival along the Burmese-Thai border. If he wins, his family receives prize money from bets placed by his coaches. Losing isn’t an option. For sons of migrant workers, the Thai boxing camp is their best hope to escape the dangerous and impoverished life that otherwise awaits them. The boys’ militaristic training regime and their daily routines reveal their courage and fear as they face the ring. The coaches provide another fascinating layer, as their gambling success determines the boys’ well-being. The film is a powerful allegory for a cultural and political battle that continues to be waged, through the eyes of children who inherited a bruised and battered history. Alex Rogalski
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Media Coverage
- Torontoist review
- The Grid review
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Director(s)
Hélène Choquette
Producer(s)
Isabelle Fortier
Executive Producer(s)
David La Haye
Philippe Chabot
Louise Mercier
Writer(s)
Helene Choquette
Cinematographer(s)
Joel Provencher
Editor(s)
Dominic Lessard
Composer(s)
Anthony Rozankovic
Sound
Olivier Léger
Claude Beaugrand
Luc Boudrias
