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2024 Sarasota Film Festival

JessZilla

Documentary, Sports

20231 hr 30 minUnited StatesEnglish

Screenings

  • 📅

    Saturday, April 6 at 2:00 PM EDT

    Ends 3:30 PM EDT

    📍

    Regal Hollywood screen #8

  • 📅

    Wednesday, April 10 at 1:00 PM EDT

    Ends 2:30 PM EDT

    📍

    Regal Hollywood - screen #3

About this film

Florida Premiere. New Jersey’s Jesselyn Silva, a three-time national boxing champion, is on her way to superstardom, dominating the junior ranks at the age of 15. With her every step of the way is her father, Pedro, a single parent who helps her navigate coaches, training schedules, and the angst of teenage life. She doesn’t believe anything will ever be too hard for her. The teenager has been training hard since she was seven to reach the top in a male-dominated world, and she’s confident that she’s as tough as the best of them. Pedro also knows how tough she is, which only makes him worry about her more when she’s in the ring. When a devastating diagnosis threatens the father-daughter tandem, the pair turn to each other to fight their greatest opponent yet: cancer. With great access to Jesselyn and her father, director Emily Sheskin tells a multi-year, incredibly moving story of passion, determination and resilience that goes beyond the ring.

Credits

Director
Emily Sheskin
Producer
Ben Kainz
Cinematographer
Paul Yee
Editor
Katie Turinski
Cast
Jesselyn Silva, Pedro Silva
Documentary FeatureSportsFemale leadFemale Director

Trailer

JessZilla
JessZilla — production still