Following its recent world premiere at Tribeca, Sheldon Candis’ powerful boxing drama They Fight is streaming now on Hulu. Although it’s unfair to say the film is merely about boxing. It stars André Holland as Walt Manigan, a former boxing coach recently released from prison, who is looking for a second chance at life and a reunion with the estranged mother of his young son. To do it, Walt returns to the one place he had turned away from, the boxing gym, to train young boys to become men through the sweet science of boxing.
They Fight is a film about redemption, of hope, of dreaming big, and also of community. The rec center that hosts the boxing club is under constant threat of budget cuts, endangering the lives of these at-risk kids. Walt is aided in his personal journey by Slim, played by the great Wendell Pierce, who sees someone in need of a helping hand if he’s ever going to be more than the man he used to be.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Holland, Pierce, and Candis about They Fight. We talked about Candis’ journey just to get the film made, and how much his cast helped in accomplishing that. We talked about the importance of telling triumphant Black stories at a time when they seem hard to come by. We also discussed the film’s Tribeca premiere, and how much that honor meant for Candis.
Check out the interview below, and be sure to check out They Fight now on Hulu!
