Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Apr 30th at 7:45pm for Never Be A Punching Bag at the Brattle Theatre. Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.
The film weaves together three stories: colorful boxing coach and ex-drill sergeant Sal Bartolo Jr., son of a renowned 1940s East Boston boxing champ; Naomi Yang herself, learning boxing from trainer Bartolo and reexamining some of her own family’s disturbing history; and schoolteacher Mary Ellen Welch, who in the 1960s mobilized a group of neighborhood women against encroachment from Logan airport, fighting back against an indifferent city government. None of these protagonists are destined to win the Big Fight, but all offer inspiration to anyone determined to stand up for themselves and hold their ground.
Note: This screening is part of IFFBoston 2023, so you may wish to buy tickets in advance. Also, due to other screenings at IFFBoston, your host, Sean, may not be available for dinner after the show.