Shot in the Dominican Republic, this short film tells the story of two- time world champion featherweight boxer Ismael Laguna’s mischievous childhood, and how it led to his discovery as a young fighter. The young
El Tigre toppled tough man Carlos Watson in an impromptu match on the beach. Based on the true story of a boxing legend.
Director’s Statement: John Urbano
One of the most interesting facts of our short film El Tigre is that everyone in the film was cast off the streets in the Dominican Republic except for Yelena Noah (red underwear girl). No one from the DR had ever acted before. We shot El Tigre in four days, mostly in Cabrera, Dominican Republic, one of my favorite places in the world to work.
Rob Brown, a gang leader on a remote Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota, faces prison for a fifth time, and must confront his role in bringing crime and illegal drugs into his beloved community. As Rob struggles with his violent past, his 17-year-old protégé, Kevin, dreams of the future, and must decide whether to reconnect with traditional Ojibwe ways or be pulled towards the illicit lifestyle of his mentor. This haunting and visually arresting documentary explores the truth about life on the reservation today.
Executive produced by Terrence Malick, Natalie Portman, and Chris Eyre.
Director’s Statement: Jack Pettibone Riccobono
The Seven Fires Prophecy speaks of a time when, after a long period of cultural destruction, the youngest generation of Ojibwe will return to traditional ways and lead a rebirth of their nation. The film takes it title from this prophecy. In America and much of the world, there is a blind spot about the history of Native Americans and the injustices that this community continues to suffer to this day. It is rare to see any contemporary images of Native American life in the mainstream media or to see past the harsh statistics that tell only part of the story. My goal was to craft an immersive, character-driven work of cinema that would reveal the stories of Rob and Kevin with intimacy, empathy, and urgency, and place their personal journeys in the larger context of an unjust history that America has yet to reckon with.
