Punch (2002)

Director:

Guy Bennett

Writer:

Guy Bennett (written by)

Release Date:

7 February 2003 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Who Needs Anger Management?

Plot Keywords:

Vagina Spreading | Boxing | Female Frontal Nudity | Catfight | Female Nudity

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Riley	...	Sam
Sonja Bennett	...	Ariel
Meredith McGeachie	...	Julie
Marcia Laskowski	...	Mary
Vincent Gale	...	Irwin
Kathryn Kirkpatrick	...	Beth
Don Ackerman	...	Markus
Sarah Lind	...	Liz
Stephen Dimopoulos	...	Customer
Mercedes de la Zerda	...	Tanya
Dorota Dragan	...	Muscle Woman
Andrea Nazareno	...	Vicky

Directed by
Guy Bennett

Writing credits
Guy Bennett		(written by)

Produced by
Stephen Hegyes	....	producer
Jacquelyn Renner	....	line producer
Jeff Sackman	....	executive producer
Shawn Williamson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James Jandrisch

Cinematography by
Gregory Middleton		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Schwadel		(as Richard A. Schwadel)

Casting by
Corinne Clark
Jennifer Page

Production Design by
Tony Devenyi

Costume Design by
Lara Lupish

Makeup Department
Emma Clarke	....	hair assistant
Emma Clarke	....	makeup assistant
Andrea Dawe	....	hair assistant
Andrea Dawe	....	makeup assistant
Robyn Hepples	....	key hair stylist
Robyn Hepples	....	key makeup artist
Debi Lelievre	....	key hair stylist
Debi Lelievre	....	key makeup artist
Medina Mayes	....	hair assistant
Medina Mayes	....	makeup assistant
Hilary Porter	....	hair assistant
Hilary Porter	....	makeup assistant
Mary Treen	....	hair assistant
Mary Treen	....	makeup assistant
Georgina Tyer	....	hair assistant
Georgina Tyer	....	makeup assistant

Production Management
Jacquelyn Renner	....	production manager
Jonathan Shore	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dave Bene	....	first assistant director
Michael Maitland	....	third assistant director
Ben Sams	....	trainee assistant director
Alejandro Valbuena	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sally Cook	....	property master
Alison Blue Cross	....	on-set decorator (as Allison Bluecross)
Alison Blue Cross	....	props (as Allison Bluecross)
Jilly Geer	....	art department assistant
Dina Holmes	....	key set decorator (as Dina Zecchel)
Errin MacNeal	....	art department assistant (as Errin Macneil)
Allen McEachern	....	art department assistant
Lindsay Oleksiuk	....	art department assistant
Mylene Perrier	....	art department assistant
Roman Rozumnyj	....	art department assistant
Yasmine Wallace	....	art department assistant (as Yasmin Wallace)

Sound Department
Kevin Belen	....	sound re-recordist
Jeff Carter	....	sound mixer
Jay Cheetham	....	backgrounds editor
Hugo DeLaCerda	....	re-recording mixer (as Hugo De La Cerda)
Dario DiSanto	....	foley editor
Philip Hunter	....	dialogue editor (as Phil Hunter)
Mark Klausmayer	....	re-recording mixer
Roderick Matte	....	boom operator
Laurie Melhus	....	post sound coordinator
Mike Olekshy	....	sound designer
Mike Olekshy	....	supervising sound editor
Sina Oroomchi	....	re-recording mixer
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Jean Raymond	....	foley mixer
Brian Ruryk	....	assistant sound editor
David Shea	....	adr mixer
Shane Shemko	....	foley artist
Joe Spivak	....	sound effects editor
Ann Townshend	....	assistant sound editor (as Anne Townshend)
Rich Walters	....	assistant sound editor
Gabriel Yorston	....	sound assistant

Special Effects by
Allen Benjamin	....	special effects coordinator (as Al Benjamin)
Paul Benjamin	....	special effects assistant
John McNulty	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Brady Hallongren	....	title and camera supervisor
Sean Hewitt	....	optical printer operator
Rita Schrag	....	optical printing supervisor
Jim Stewart	....	optical design

Stunts
James Bamford	....	stunt coordinator
Kirk Caouette	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Shannon Abbott	....	lamp operator
Michael Adams	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Mike Adams)
Keith Andersen	....	grip
Jennifer Anderson	....	camera trainee
Chris Banting	....	dolly grip
Anna Bosa	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as Anna Bose)
Chad Boyce	....	camera trainee
George Campbell	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Minta Chan	....	camera trainee
Bill Coburn	....	company grip (as Bill Colburn)
Andrew Coppin	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Audrey Dennison	....	camera trainee
John Dreyer	....	camera trainee
Gareth Farfan	....	key grip
Kevin Fletcher	....	lamp operator
Larissa Healy	....	camera trainee
Robert Higgins	....	generator operator
Shannon Kohli	....	lamp operator
Martin Kostian	....	grip
Phillipe Lacroix	....	rigging gaffer (as Phillip Lacroix)
Matt Meikle	....	grip (as Matte Merkle)
Eduardo Meneses	....	lamp operator (as Edwardo Meneses)
Jordan Neifer	....	grip
Leanne Pedersen	....	still photographer (as Leanne Pederson)
Diyah Pera	....	still photographer
Rick Podd	....	grip
Gregory Rutherford	....	grip (as Greg Rutherford)
John Scavarda	....	grip (as John Escovarda)
Leon Serginson	....	best boy grip
Dylan Akio Smith	....	gaffer (as Dylan Smith)
Wolfgang Suk	....	lamp operator
Jim Swanson	....	lamp operator
Jason Wallace	....	lamp operator

Casting Department
Tristan Calvo	....	extras casting assistant (as Tristan Cavo)
L.A. Hilts	....	extras casting (as Lesleyanne Hilts)
Rhonda Leavitt	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jan Callow	....	costumer
Karen Durrant	....	costumer (as Karen Durant)
Toni Hadgraft	....	costumer
Malia Henderson	....	costumer
Vanessa Lanci	....	costumer
Liz Morrie	....	costumer (as Liz Merrie)
Sultana Salampissis	....	costumer
Sultana Salampissis	....	seamstress
Jennifer Tam	....	costumer
Vanessa Wilson	....	costumer

Editorial Department
David Armstrong	....	color timer (as Dave Armstrong)
Jared Hall	....	trainee assistant editor
Ryan Hogan	....	colorist: dailies
Gary Lam	....	first assistant editor
Ken Metzker	....	colorist

Music Department
Jamie Mahaffey	....	music editor
Daniel Seguin	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Dave Bryant	....	driver (as Yukon Bryant)
Gary Hostad	....	driver
Ben Liljedahl	....	driver
Rico Rogers	....	driver

Other crew
Nicki Astoforoff	....	production assistant
Lori Banko	....	production assistant
Norris Barens	....	craft service
Norris Barens	....	first aid
Brian Boyd	....	chef
Carrie Chase	....	banking: Royal Bank of Canada
Michael Conchie	....	craft service
Michael Conchie	....	first aid
Ken Dangerfield	....	legal affairs (as Kenneth Dangerfield)
Rahman del Rosario	....	production assistant
Paul Derksen	....	production assistant
Diana Dutra	....	boxing coordinator
Jessica Fraser	....	unit publicist
John Frizzell	....	story editor
David Hadley	....	production coordinator
David Hamilton	....	insurer: Jones Brown & Associates
Nancy Heller	....	assistant coordinator
Joanne Houlden	....	assistant: Mr. Jandrisch
Anne Jacobsen	....	post-production accountant
Anthony Jenks	....	production assistant
Susan Johnson	....	production assistant
Britta Johnstone	....	script supervisor
Bruce C. Jones	....	security coordinator (as Bruce Jones)
Rod Kalius	....	assistant location manager
Christina Kay	....	production assistant
Tara Khorshidi	....	assistant accountant
Allison Laing	....	assistant: Mr. Hegyes
Marc Lebel	....	production assistant
Miguelito Macario Andaluz	....	epk director (as Michael Macairio)
Janet McCairns	....	location manager
Patrick Mokrane	....	production accountant
Samantha Morris	....	assistant: Mr. Williamson
John Nagel	....	craft service assistant
John Nagel	....	first aid assistant
Jim Sternberg	....	completion guarantor: TGC
Michael Tse	....	chef
Bob Utsunomiya	....	radio communications
Bruce Wright	....	security captain
Andrew Boutilier	....	development executive: Brightlight Pictures (uncredited)

Thanks
Kimberlee Alexander	....	special thanks
Michelle Bjornson	....	special thanks
Diane Boehme	....	special thanks
Andrew Boutilier	....	special thanks
Lodi Butler	....	special thanks
Wayne Clarkson	....	special thanks
Ben Derrick	....	special thanks
Alan Di Fiore	....	special thanks (as Alan DiFiori)
John Dippong	....	special thanks
Lynn Dubois	....	special thanks
Karyn Edwards	....	special thanks
Sara Fox	....	special thanks
Shelley Gillen	....	special thanks
Patricia Gruben	....	special thanks
Christine Haebler	....	special thanks
Gordon Hardwick	....	special thanks
Muriel Honey	....	special thanks
Bill Hurst	....	special thanks
Marcin Karasinski	....	special thanks
Simon Kok	....	special thanks
Nicole Leroux	....	special thanks (as Nicole Lereoux)
Jenny Lewis	....	special thanks
Wendy MacKeigan	....	special thanks (as Wendy McKeigan)
George Margellos	....	special thanks
Michelle Marion	....	special thanks
Darryl McCann	....	special thanks
Sasha McLean	....	special thanks
Peter Mitchell	....	special thanks
Jennifer Moore	....	special thanks
Ian Rennie	....	special thanks
Paul Roscorla	....	special thanks (as Paul Rescorla)
Nora Spencer	....	special thanks
Bruce Sweeney	....	special thanks
Susanne Tabata	....	special thanks
John Wilding	....	special thanks (as Johnny Wilding)
Dawn Williamson	....	special thanks
Casey Wood	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Brightlight Pictures
• Téléfilm Canada (produced with the participation of) (as Telefilm Canada)
• British Columbia Film (produced with the participation of) (as British Columbia Film Television & Film Financing Program)
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The (produced with the participation of) (as Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund)
• Chum Television (produced and developed in association with) (as CHUM Television)
• Movie Network, The (TMN) (produced in association with) (as The Movie Network)
• Movie Central Network (produced in association with) (as Movie Central a Corus Entertainment Company)
• Punch Films

Distributors

• THINKFilm (2002) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• DEJ Productions (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• THINKFilm (2003) (Canada) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Al Silverman and the Background  walla artists (as Al Silverman & The Background)
• All Type Head Sets  radios & communications (as All Types Headsets)
• Alpha Cine Motion Pictures Laboratory  film laboratory (as Alpha Cine)
• Associated Production Music (APM)  additional music provided by (as Associated Production Music LLC)
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)  with the assistance of (as the Government of Canada - The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit)
• Capilano College Film Centre  special thanks (as Capilano College)
• City of Burnaby, British Columbia  special thanks
• City of Vancouver, The  special thanks (as City of Vancouver)
• Command Post Toybox  video post facility (as Command Post/Toybox West)
• Completion Guarantors (TGC)  completion guarantor (as The Completion Guarantors)
• EP Canada  payroll service
• Flashpoint Cutting Inc.  editing facility
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 669  acknowledgment (as I.A.T.S.E. 669 International Photographers Canada)
• Jericho Sailing Club  special thanks
• Jones Brown Insurance  insurers (as Jones Brown & Associates)
• M-A-C  acknowledgment
• M.M.I. Product Placement  special thanks (as MMI Product Placement)
• NT Audio Visual  optical soundtrack (as NT Audio)
• Original Conforming Services  negative cutting (as Original Conform Services)
• Praxis  special thanks (as The Praxis Centre for Screenwriters)
• Province of British Columbia Film Incentive BC  with the participation of
• Royal Bank of Canada  banking by
• Sharpe Sound Studios  post audio facility
• Stewart Motion Picture Services  titles and opticals
• Twister Media  score recorded at
• Union of B.C. Performers  acknowledgment
• Untouchable Caterers  catering (as Untouchable Catering)
• Value Village  special thanks
• Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation  special thanks (as Vancouver Parks and Recreation)
• Vancouver Film Studios  special thanks (as The Staff of the Vancouver Film Studios)
• William F. White International  special thanks (as William F. White)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, nudity and sexual content.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Brightlight Pictures

Movie Connections:

References "The X Files" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Communicating

How ready would you be to go and see this film?

The first main line film featuring topless female boxers - how does one begin to comment? No doubt in the past others have considered producing similar films and decided against - probably primarily because they knew these would be regarded as sleaze and exploitation and therefore would be dead on the ground before they were ever released. Both the actors and the producer involved in this film were very courageous; but were they wise, and have they opened the floodgates to more violent pornography as other less restrained producers jump onto a new bandwagon? There are three primary issues I will try to deal with here, the first the business issue of making the product financially viable, the second the justification for featuring women boxing topless and only then the third and most important question - is the final product a worth while film?.

The subject matter reeks of sleaze and sexploitation, I would never have gone near a cinema showing such a film if I had not been told by someone I felt I could trust that it was a very good film, and that I would leave the cinema with many significant issues to think about. I suspect my first reaction would be pretty common, and this must make it very difficult for cinemas to show the film or for the company to market it. The business assessments made when financing was secured would have been very interesting. Clearly only very limited takings would have been projected and it must have been a very low budget production - something that in itself usually makes for a low quality product. In this case those who made the film must have had a lot of faith that they were creating something worthwhile, and they clearly worked closely together as a team to achieve this. It is now four years since this film was released and I am not so far aware of any rush to imitate it, so at this point we can probably evaluate it as a one off production without worrying about the opened floodgates.

Should a film feature girls boxing topless? This is very hard to watch - almost as hard as films showing Christians being thrown to the lions in the Roman Arena. I turned away from the screen occasionally; but must answer that films, like books, are entitled to feature anything which is, or has been, part of our society and this was a perfectly legitimate subject. Boxing as a sport and boxing as public entertainment are very different matters - I look forward to a time when the latter is as anachronistic as throwing Christians to the lions. There are few sights more sad than the professional boxer who has aged to the point where he can only look forward to a long series of matches in which he is no more than a punching bag for younger opponents, followed by an early retirement with little income. There is also the social aspect that becoming punch-drunk from minor brain damage in this latter part of his career often leads to reduced mental capacity which places a burden of support on society in general. But women have as much right to box professionally as men. In many parts of the world women are still little more than possessions of their husbands, They have demanded equality and must have it. Far in the future the law may again recognise a need to protect both sexes through specific discriminatory legislation, but in the current historical situation this would, probably wisely, never even be considered. Our route is for women to receive the same rights as men, and then to decide for themselves whether to take up these rights. In Canada, women have fought hard for the legal right to go topless anywhere that men can. Quite properly they now have this enshrined by law, but the point has been made and sensibly we do not see more topless women around than we used to. Boxing as public entertainment is legal, and if women choose to box, topless or otherwise, then film-makers have the right to feature this in their films.

Having expressed my views on this I have little space left to comment on the film, but I can assure my readers that it is well made and very thought provoking. It deals with several important issues, particularly those relating to single parent families. Offhand I cannot think of another film which more sensitively faces the situation that arises when a young girl has to take over the duties of a deceased or divorced mother, and then very gradually begins to feel she should also take over some of the other responsibilities her mother felt towards her father. It is remarkably well acted and Sonja Bennett (the daughter of the director, who was probably 21 when Punch was filmed) played the part of the disturbed teenager so convincingly that she earned a well deserved award at the 2002 Vancouver International Film Festival. Her work in "Punch" seems to have been well received as she is now professionally very active with a number of other films completed and at least three more awaiting release. I suggest watching for her future appearances. Also Meredith McGeachie received a nomination for a genie award. The ultimate test however remains whether you would want to go to a cinema to watch "Punch" . You might not enjoy it any more than I did, but would probably also find it stimulating and rewarding. However the fight scenes are very brutal, and I suspect that many cinema-goers would not be prepared to watch them. Although there are even more brutal scenes in many widely admired fantasy films, these make no effort to involve you with their characters beforehand.