The Warrior (La guerrera)

An Beca Gucci Ambulante discharge of an Ambulante Sres Del Paso/Beca Gucci Ambulante/CUEC presentation. Created by Paulina del Paso. Executive producer, Liliana Pardo. Directed by Paulina del Paso.With: Ana Maria Torres, Roberto, Angelica Torres.Mexican champion boxer Ana Maria Torres lives as much as her nickname and also the title from the film taking 3 years in her own wild career, "The Warrior." Targeted to captivate sports and non-sports fans, this can be a straight-ahead docu portrait by which filmmaker Paulina del Paso is granted wide use of Torres as she dollars personal doubts, checkered support of loved ones, a flinty b.f./coach, a stream of competitors and rigged fights in (of places) North Korea. Outcome is a truly satisfying study that purchasers should placed on their card. Like many boxers, Torres arrived on the scene of difficult conditions, together with a father she barely understood whom she claims fathered 29 children. Her mother, Angelica, isn't terribly passionate about her career choice, but this only appears to spur on "La Guerrera" Torres, whose apparent bulldog attitude is strictly what's needed for achievement within the sweet science. But throughout the 2004-06 period shot here, Torres finds herself facing some rather bizarre obstacles. In no less than two champion bantamweight bouts strangely situated in North Korea (a reason which could have been useful), the dogged boxer faces served by clearly lesser local competitors and manages to lose both occasions in obviously rigged choices. On her and her coach and b.f., Roberto, it is the publish-Cold War same as standing on the incorrect finish of the fixed match in boxing's golden age. Like every good coach, Roberto pushes Torres, although the lines between your personal and also the professional will get blurred in fascinating and sophisticated ways. According to him, properly, that "her attitude is exactly what sets (Torres) aside from other female boxers" (he gave her her nickname after she won a complement a busted right hands), but Del Paso also captures several moments when Torres will get lower on herself. After deficits, she gets she's disappointed her supporters and her family, despite the fact that her kin liberally hands out critique even if she wins -- something Torres feels bitter about. It's these cycles of defeat and victory, perseverance and self-doubt, that make up the backbone from the film and provide it a texture beyond Del Paso's sheer reportage. Contributing to pressure for Torres may be the growing split between Roberto and Angelica, who dislikes the truth that he's over the age of her daughter, as they bristles in the family's meddling. Final passages get a little sloppy within the storytelling department, as Torres sometimes appears backing from competitions and decides for training others, before a dramatic conclusion that feels rushed instead of fully developed. Image quality is low-grade video completely, but this really is abetted by lenser Del Paso's collaboration with ace d.p. and documaker Dariela Ludlow, here handling assistant camera responsibilities. Fight coverage is great and concise.Camera (color/B&W, DV, 16mm), del Paso editor, Yibran Asuad, del Paso music, Pedro "Zulu" Gonzalez seem (stereo system), del Paso seem designer, Gonzalez connect producer, Abraham Castillo. Examined at Morelia Film Festival (competing), March. 21, 2011. Running time: 87 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com