Fightville
Mixed Martial Arts is one of the biggest sports on the planet, exemplified by the huge machine of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). With its own reality TV shows, spectacles in mega arenas and global broadcast rights, UFC is brutal, real and truly gladiatorial.
Under this global empire sits a world of potential contenders trying to break through on the alternate MMA circuits. Enter Gil Guillory, whose second tier circuit finds its home in rodeo barns and fairs in all manner of regional locations. For the contenders like Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier, Gil's hexagonal fighting pen is a magnet.
Made for the big screen and packing a serious kick, Fightville delves deeply into this second tier world, examining the psyche of the sport and its devotees through their own words and actions.
It's a film filled with strange contradictions but with surprisingly articulate observations and character studies. Seen through the excellent photography of Michael Tucker (also the co-director), the world of Fightville is also filled with brilliant, brutal action.
