PRESS RELEASE: 26thJune, 2013
‘CroíTrodach -A Fighting Heartto be screened at Galway Film Fleadh
Críi Trodach -A Fighting Heart,the epic story of Johnny Kilbane the longest reigning World Featherweight Champion of all time, will have its European premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh, with two screenings, on 13th and 14th of July. Croí Trodach -A Fighting Hearttells the story of Johnny Kilbane’s life, a rags-to-riches story that begins on Achill Island off the West Coast of Ireland, from where his ancestors orignated, and finishes in Cleveland Ohio, where Johnny Kilbane both entertained and served his community until his untimely death in 1957. The film had its World premiere at the prestigious Cleveland International Film Festival in April, where it sold out seven scrennings over three nights. The Cleverland Plain Dealer newspaper described A Fighting Heartas “…an enchanting film…you will love Johnny Kilbane’s story even if you do not love boxing films”
Directed by Des Kilbane, originally from Achill Island and himself a distant relation of Johnny, the film tells us about the boxer’s tough early life growing up in The Angle on Cleveland’s Westside, the rough side of town, his love of vaudeville, his chance discovery as a boxer and his elevation to World Boxing Champion in 1912. It goes on to trace Johnny’s role in the US Army during the First World War and his impressive boxing career of 142 fights before finally losing the crown to his French opponent in 1923.
Des Kilbane states his reasons for making CroíTrodach -A Fighting Heart‘ In the late 1980s I picked up a copy of The Book of Lists, where celebrities pick their favorites in their chosen fields. Mike Tyson was the world champ at the time and he picked Johnny at number seven, which really amazed me. So the idea was always there but it wasn’t until I found Kevin OToole’s website on Johnny (Kevin’s great grandfather) that it came to fruition.’
The story was commissioned by TG4 and and supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Kilbane also lucked out by managing to source rare archive footage of some of Johnny’s fights, particularly the Kilbane v Atell, World Title Fight. Kilbane goes on to explain, ‘The 100-year old volatile nitrate film was in a fragile state when discovered in a Cleveland attic and had to be painstakingly restored. This archive footage was deemed to be lost forever but most of it was in good condition and it will be seen for the first time in the film. It also includes very rare footage of Johnny at home with his family.’ In addition the film features a specially commissioned original soundtrack by Portland musician and award-winning writer Willy Vlautin, founder of the band Richmond Fontaine. A Fighting Heart also explores the theme of Irish emigration to the US, the role of Irish workers on the construction of the Erie Canal and, more specifically the cultural, social and historical links between the communities of Achill Island and Cleveland, Ohio that still strongly exist today.
The Irish version of Croí Trodach -A Fighting Heartwill be screened in the Cinemobile on Saturday 13th July at 6pm and the English feature length version of the doucmentary will be screend in the Cinemobile on Sunday 14th July at 10am. To celebrate the Irish premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh, Galway Bay Brewery are producing a very limited edition A Fighting Heart Irish Ale exclusively for the screening.
Croí Trodach -A Fighting Heart, Directed by Des Kilbane and Produced by Mike Keane is a co-production between Midas Productions and DesK films for TG4 with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland
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Facebook: A Fighting Heart