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Fighting Back

1984 24 min
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The Cabbagetown Boxing Club in Toronto has produced many Olympic and world-class boxers. Fighting Back is the story of Asif Dar, an underweight immigrant who learned boxing in order to defend himself from neighbourhood bullies. The film traces the relationship between Asif Dar, who came to the club as a youngster, and his instructor, Ken Hamilton, a long-time foe of the violence traditionally associated with boxing.

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Fighting Back

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The Cabbagetown Boxing Club in Toronto has produced many Olympic and world-class boxers. Fighting Back is the story of Asif Dar, an underweight immigrant who learned boxing in order to defend himself from neighbourhood bullies. The film traces the relationship between Asif Dar, who came to the club as a youngster, and his instructor, Ken Hamilton, a long-time foe of the violence traditionally associated with boxing.

  • director
    Gary Toole
  • producer
    Craig Graham
    Mark Zannis
  • executive producer
    François Champagne
    Barrie Howells
  • script
    Holly Dressel
  • narrator
    Holly Dressel
  • cinematography
    Savas Kalogeras
    Andy Kitzanuk
  • sound
    Pierre Michaud
    Diane Carrière
  • editing
    Anne Henderson
  • sound editing
    Bernard Bordeleau
  • re-recording
    Jean-Pierre Joutel
    Adrian Croll
  • music
    Ben Low

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Education

Ages 11 to 15
School subjects
Students share extra-curricular activities they enjoy; brainstorm benefits of hobbies/sports /recreation. Identify programs for youth in your area; participate as a group or help promote programs in underprivileged areas. Discuss the discrimination and bullying Asif encountered in Canada. How/why did boxing help him? Students perform skits / write stories about Asif’s future without boxing. Define “mentor”; have students identify mentors in their own lives. Compare/contrast mentor with parent, friend, role model, and idol.
Fighting Back
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