PINE CURTAIN FIGHTERS IS AN EPISODIC SERIES INTIMATELY FOLLOWING AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL BOXERS FROM EAST TEXAS AS THEY CHASE THEIR DREAM OF MAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
Set in the piney woods of East Texas — a place riddled with rural poverty and a history of racial disparities — PCF follows young men who turn to boxing as a way to rise above these and other barriers.
The series is cinematic, immersive, and character-driven. The lives of the boxers front and center. With their friends, with their families. At school, at home, at their day-jobs, and, of course, in the gym. PCF gives a real and unflinching look at what it takes for a fighter to chase a hard-fought dream — from far behind the Pine Curtain.
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
The series follows six individual boxers for one year, creating six individual episodes ranging from 30-45 minutes — each episode containing its own narrative and story arc.
WHY THIS SERIES
Because anyone chasing their dream and working to change their destiny should be seen.
While pockets of East Texas have a storied history with boxing, it certainly isn’t a boxing mecca — yet day in and day out, at small underfunded gyms sprinkled throughout the region, young men and women step into the ring with hopes of turning their story around, finding purpose, and defeating their past.
Like anyone else, their lives and hopes are complex, diverse, and rich in drama.
VISION
This series is about much more than boxing, it’s about what it takes to chase a dream. And so in that way, this series is about all of us.
Producer and Director Kenny Rigsby spent the past several years befriending and filming East Texas boxers — earning trust and telling their stories with empathy and thoughtfulness.
In 2016, he created the following three short films based around the lives of three different fighters. While these films were well received on their own, they are only a proof of concept.
Kenny developed strong relationships among many in the local boxing community and is poised to take this series to the next level.
Ep. 01 / Josh
Josh, a 25 year old father of two, prepares for and fights in his debut professional bout. Previously titled Round One, this film won Best Texas Film and Audience Favorite at the Downtown Tyler Film Festival in 2016.
Ep. 02 / Tony
Tony, a 15 year-old troublemaker and amateur boxer, struggles to stay disciplined at home and in the ring.
Ep. 03 / Xavier
Xavier must overcome a serious injury in order to get back in the ring and continue his journey towards becoming a professional fighter. Winner, Best Texas Film — 2017 Downtown Tyler Film Festival. Winner, Best Documentary Short and Best Director Short — 2018 Reel East Texas Film Festival.
Ep. 04 / Tha Problem Child
This 5-minute film of professional fighter Kenneth Taylor serves as a promotional video for him and a teaser of a longer version yet to come.
The early isolation of the East Texas region and its links to the Deep South have resulted in its well-known pine woods being described as a “curtain” that demarcates a certain cultural enclave or bubble that distinguishes East Texas from the rest of the state.
Former residents describe leaving behind the “Pine Curtain” as a form of escape.
