The South by Southwest Film Festival
and Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas recently announced that it will host the
premiere of the Hollywood-produced “MANNY: THE MOVIE.”
The festival which runs from March 7
to 15 will mark the global debut of the highly anticipated documentary movie of
the celebrated Filipino sports icon.
Narrated by Academy Award nominee
Liam Neeson, “MANNY” chronicles the untold story of Manny Pacquiao-- from his
impoverished childhood years in war-torn Mindanao, his struggle to survive in
Manila by working in construction sites and warehouses after running away from
home at the age of 14-- to his dramatic rise as a ten-time boxing world
champion.
As the first boxing congressman in
history, his Cinderella-man story has awed and inspired countless fans from all
walks of life; and his continuing saga adds only to the checkered and amusing
story of this remarkable global superstar.
The film is directed by Ryan Moore
and Academy Award winner Leon Gast.
Gast had previously done the boxing
documentary “When We Were Kings” which showcased the epic match between boxing
legends Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
For “MANNY: THE MOVIE” both
directors had to go through thousands of hours of film and video footage to
create a thorough documentation of Pacquiao’s storied career, beginning with
his first few bouts in small venues to his most classic rivalries with some of
the greatest fighters in boxing.
The film also includes interviews
with actor Mark Wahlberg, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, Jeremy Piven and many other
international celebrities and features original music from acclaimed Hollywood
composer Lorne Balfe (Inception, Dark Night, Iron Man).
The film’s SXSW debut holds some
significance for Pacquiao as it was in Texas where he won his 8th world boxing
title --- a feat yet unmatched in history. The subsequent Philippine commercial
exhibition on March 12 also segues perfectly to his upcoming rematch with
American boxer Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on April 12, 2014.
While trainer Freddie Roach had
previously mentioned the need for Paquaio’s undivided attention to knock down
Bradley, his fans remain hopeful that the People’s Champ would take some time
off to join them in this momentous event.
MANNY: THE MOVIE opens in Philippine
cinemas nationwide on March 12, 2014, and is distributed locally by Solar
Entertainment Corporation.
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