The Boxer
Short film and National Opera campaign The Boxer is about the courageousness of self-expression personified by Frank, both opera singer and boxer in real life.
“Amsterdam-based artist and director Ruben Van Leer’s latest film is a high-energy portrait of tenor and boxer Frank Engel, made in collaboration with the Dutch National Opera”
battle with the self as revolution
The Boxer is part of the Dutch National Opera’s ‘You Don’t Know Opera’ series, presenting employees within the opera and their second real life personality occupation outside of the opera. Shot as a short film, director Ruben Van Leer takes tenor Frank Engel as his lead character based on his background also as a boxer. What is real and what’s not? Peter Grimes, music from one of the 20th Century’s most famous operas, is about an individual under attack from the collective. He needs to stand up for himself, as does Frank, who is battling himself. To overcome his fear and perform in the opera, tenor Frank Engel slides into his other self, the one where he is also a boxer. As he enters the stage and knocks himself out, he is finally able to star as the embattled protagonist in Peter Grimes. Featuring a poem written and voiced by the legendary Johnny BANG Reilly.
“Boxing ring and theater stage fade into one another in this dramatised impression revolving around the real-life main character, featuring a propelling text by street poet Johnny Bang Reilly.”
“The first in a series of films for ‘You Don’t Know Opera’ portrays a truly unexpected combination that flips pre-conceived notions of an opera star, and in turn opera itself, on its head.”
credits
| writer & director: | Ruben Van Leer |
| cinematography: | Paul Ozgur |
| starring: | Frank Engel & National Opera choir |
| voiced by: | Johnny BANG Reilly |
| music: | Benjamin Britten, from opera Peter Grimes |
| performed by: | Jon Vickers & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House |
| music & sound: | Tommy Zee |
| edit: | Amber Hooijmans & Wouter van Luijn |
| styling: | Imruh Asha |
| 1st AD: | Paul King |
| makeup and hair: | Faisa Sontodimedjo |
| cam assist: | Paco Kumar |
| gaffer: | Koen van Bergen |
| electrician: | Jeroen Zwart |
| body double: | Roy Meuldijk |
| recordist: | Rens Pluym |
| grading: | Kevin Kimman |
| live producer: | Yvonne Knook |
| producers: | Jelani Isaacs & Sander Brenninkmeijer |
| production: | New Amsterdam Film Company |
| creatives: | Justin Blyth & Martin Ginsborg |
| agency: | Anomaly |
filmmaker & media-artist
