A Fighting Heart
Des Kilbane
Republic of Ireland, 2013, 57 min.
In English.
This film is family friendly.
Best Sports Documentary, Celtic Media Festival 2014
A Fighting Heart tells the epic story of Irish-American Johnny Kilbane, poet, politician and longest reigning World-Featherweight Champion of all time. Featuring newly-discovered archive footage, it's the rags-to-riches story of Kilbane's tough early life growing up in The Angle on Cleveland Ohio's Westside, his love of vaudeville, his chance discovery as a boxer and elevation to World Boxing Champion in 1912. The film charts the highs and lows in the life of a boxing legend as well as the equally fascinating story of Kilbane's post-boxing career where his resilience against all the challenges that life throws at him shines through.
Category: Documentary.
Themes: Sports, Biography, Historical, Politics, Irish Cinema.
Monday, April 21
The Screening Room
6:00pm
More in Documentary
-
Desert Passages
Laurence Durkin
Ireland, 2026, 75 min.The Colorado River is drying up. Reservoirs are falling to record lows and drought continues to ravage the borderlands of the United States and Mexico. The... more ›
-
Voyage of the Handala
Jim Koenigsaecker
United States, 2025, 29 min.Voyage of the Handala is an independent documentary film about an international group of peace activists and aid workers sailing from Europe to Gaza to raise... more ›
-
Sunday Mornings at the Beach
Tim Reid
United States, 2025, 10 min.When heading to the oceanside, one might expect to see surfers, joggers, and sunbathers... but not this. Each Sunday, a quiet yet powerful ritual unfolds as... more ›