Prizefighter
It's A Wrapper Film
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Sportrait of the life and times of Jack Johnson, America’s first black heavyweight boxing champion.
THE PROCESS
Part religion and part entertainment, sports play a key role in the social fabric of our country. At the height of the Jim Crow era, Jackson Johnson against all odds became the first black heavyweight boxing champion in America.
As a fan of sports, I was drawn to Johnson and his infamous fight with The Great White Hope, Jim Jefferies. Focusing on six key days in his life, I wanted to portray the complexities of Johnson as flawed and heroic. He was a human being, but the nation saw him as disposable entertainment jailing him for the unforgivable offense of his interracial affairs. His story exemplified where we were as a nation and a reminder of how much further we still have to go.
To learn more about Jack Johnson, watch Ken Burns’ 2004 documentary Unforgettable Blackness.
That’s a wrap:
Behind the scenes
Prizefighter Production Gallery