Ringside

Im Ring
‘You're your only weakness. I feel like nobody can beat me but me.’

Chicago’s South Side is notorious for its street gangs and shootings. For Kenny and Destyne, the boxing gym provides a shelter that shields them from the threatening everyday presence of violence and crime. Spurred on by their ambitious fathers, the ring becomes a kind of prison for the two boys, robbing them of any sense of freedom with its strict regime. At the same time, boxing represents their only shot at a better life – if only they have the talent and discipline to truly make it. For eight years, director André Hörmann accompanied the two adolescents on their rocky road marked by hope and setbacks, creating a dense and emotional portrait that relates different ways of asserting one’s self in a complex world.
by André Hörmann
with Kenneth Sims Jr., Kenneth Sims Sr., Destyne Butler Jr., Destyne Butler Sr.
Germany / USA 2019 English 95’ Colour Documentary form

With

  • Kenneth Sims Jr.
  • Kenneth Sims Sr.
  • Destyne Butler Jr.
  • Destyne Butler Sr.

Crew

Director André Hörmann
Cinematography Tom Bergmann
Editing Vincent Assmann
Sound Donell McNairy
Location Manager Sean Lyness
Production Manager Marissa Ericson
Producers Ingmar Trost, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements
Executive Producer Ken Pelletier, Mark Mitten, Carolyn Hepburn

World sales

Submarine Entertainment

Motto Pictures

André Hörmann

A documentary filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Berlin, his short film Crowley: Every Cowboy Needs His Horse was nominated for the Goldener Spatz German children’s film award and the European Children’s Film Association’s Documentary Award. He followed this with Crowley: Cowboy Up, which premiered at DOK Leipzig. Obon screened at Sundance and won several awards, including Best Animated Film at the 2018 Krakow Film Festival. He has received scholarships from the Goethe-Institut, Villa Aurora and DAAD, is a graduate of the UCLA TFT Professional Program in Screenwriting and teaches film at several universities.

Filmography (documentaries)

2002 Umbruch; short film 2006 Calcutta Calling; short film 2010 Father’s Prayer; short film 2013 Bhavini – Ich will nur tanzen (Bhavini – I Just Wanna Dance) 2014 Mo – Ich kann Fliegen (Mo Can Tie a Bow); short film · Andrew mit Pauken und Trompeten (Andrew With Great Fanfare); short film 2015 Gaurav und die Drachen (Gaurav and the Kites); TV series · Crowley – Jeder Cowboy braucht sein Pferd (Crowley – Every Cowboy Needs His Horse); short film 2016 Tsering - Nur der Himmel ist höher (Tsering: On top of the World) 2017 Ari und das Totenfest 2018 OBON; short film 2019 Ringside

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2019