Private Project

Habana Boxing Club

The relationship between a closeted cuban boxer and his closest friend and rival is explored as they are given the opportunity to train at the most renowned gym in Cuba.

  • Danniel Rodriguez
    Director
  • Danniel Rodriguez
    Writer
  • Robert Colom
    Producer
    El mar y Él, The Wrecker Kings
  • Laciel Gallardo
    Key Cast
  • Alberto Bringuier-Schmidt
    Key Cast
  • Boncó Quiñongo
    Key Cast
    El mar y Él
  • Abraham Acay
    Key Cast
  • Gabriel Encarnación
    Key Cast
  • Ryan Encarnación
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Sport, LGBT
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 31, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    23,000 USD
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    RED Digital 6K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Danniel Rodriguez

Inspired by his environment, Danniel Rodriguez's stories revolve around the cultural makeup of the peninsula, as well as Miami's own celebrated immigrant culture. Graduating from Florida International University, he moved to work on a variety of local film productions including HBO's Ballers, and Barry Jenkins’s second feature film, Moonlight. As inaugural Fellow of the Miami Film Development Project and grant winner for his short Habana Boxing Club, he continues to pursue telling stories that matter.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This is a film about introspection. Set against the backdrop of rural Cuba, Habana Boxing Club takes a look at the burgeoning struggles of a young man coming to terms with his taboo reality, fighting figuratively and literally to exist within himself. We look at how these struggles can seep into our daily lives, and how opportunity forces us to look at important aspects of ourselves. Exploring the masculine world of boxing, we contrast the emotional conflict of a social stigma with the brutality and intimacy of a sport designed to break down the body, only for it to heal itself.