“GIRL FIGHT: A MUAY THAI STORY”
A Documentary by Matthew Kaplowitz
Winner of “Best Editing in a Feature Film” at the Rahway International Film Festival
Official Selection of Film Fest 52, Woman Up Independent Film Festival, New Haven
International Film Festival and Yonkers Film Festival
*** Press is permitted to use any photos and quotes from this EPK for articles related to the movie ***
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E-mail the director at Matt@TheFightNerd.com for press requests, additional images, interviews, and
screening information
LOGLINE
Two female kickboxers learn what it takes to be a fighter, inside the ring and out.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
GIRL FIGHT: A MUAY THAI STORY is a feature-length documentary about an all-female
kickboxing gym located on the Jersey Shore. The film follows the head coach, Prairie Rugilo, and one of
her students, DeAna Mendez, as the pair prepare for several fights, and cope with the setbacks and
opposition that comes with training to get into the ring. The two women battle through different
journeys of self-discovery to cope with both success and failure.
LONG SYNOPSIS
When you are a fighter, winning and losing is everything. For the women of “The Girl Fight
Gym” in Toms River, New Jersey, winning means more than having your arm raised after a match.
Prairie Rugilo opened her all-female Muay Thai kickboxing gym in 2009, and since then has
been inspiring and empowering women through the martial arts to help them learn what fighting is truly
about. Along with her training partner and girlfriend Jaime, Prairie coaches a team of ladies who would
have never stepped into the ring unless they were at this gym. One of those students, DeAna, plans on
making her amateur debut, while Prairie prepares for a second chance at a championship belt that she
lost in a controversial fight.
Prairie and DeAna must overcome their personal struggles to become the champions they want
to be, embarking on a journey that takes them down roads they did not expect to go through over the
course of 18 months. In the backdrop of The Jersey Shore as it continues to try to rebuild after the
devastation of Hurricane Sandy, these two fighters battle in and out of the ring against their greatest
opponent – themselves.
*** You can view the full trailer for GIRLFIGHT: A MUAY THAI STORY by clicking this link here ***
REVIEWS
"Girl Fight" creates a very natural connection between the life of the average person on the street and
the person willing to put themselves through a fight camp and step in the ring. It's something often
missing from projects focused on athletes working at the professional level as the sense of drive and self
confidence possessed by most pros can make them somewhat alienating figures. This film is a look at
what drives the average person into the gym and from the gym into the ring. It's not why the future stars
fight, but why the rest of us do it.” – Bloodyelbow.com
"These are real, every day people who are right out there in our backyards... That’s what makes the
daily life aspects of the film—the ones like the Sandy aftermath—that might not be directly related to
kickboxing so relevant: People only know that participating in a fight gym like this is an option for the
every day person if someone tells them so.... I’d absolutely recommend the film to anyone who has even
a passing interest in competitive martial arts as a sport or hobby, or if you’ve got a little one at home—
but not too little, this is a combat sport, after all—who could use some positive role models.” - Dan Van
Winkle, TheMarySue.com
“Sometimes the best part of a fight is the story behind it, and [Matthew Kaplowitz] tells a good story.” –
Jim Genia, The MMA Journalist
“This film is a great look into a gym that is empowering young women and building their self esteem,
confidence and strength through the martial art of Muay Thai. Girl Fight reminds you that while there
are superstars like the UFC's Ronda Rousey who are paving the way for young women in martial arts,
there are gyms like Girl Fight and instructors like Rugilo, who are putting them on that road and
preparing them for the ride.” – MMAMania.com
“Girl Fight” reminds us that Muay Thai has long been in the avant-garde for female fighters… “Girl
Fight” takes the measure of our contemporary pulse… What comes across to me is not so much how
Prairie is breaking new ground but rather how she’s so woven into the fabric of a typical community
that’s a pretty good proxy for Main Street USA.” – Muay Thaimes Magazine
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
In a weird twist of fate, GIRL FIGHT: A MUAY THAI STORY is as much my story as it was
for the women I filmed for 18 months.
The concept for this documentary came to me while reading an issue of an MMA (mixed martial
arts) magazine that had a monthly feature on gyms across America. Within this two-page spread was my
first glimpse into the world that an entrepreneurial Prairie Rugilo was trying to build with her “Girl
Fight Gym”.
It took little convincing from me for Prairie to allow me to start filming at their gym, and at the
time I had no idea what my story would be about. Since she was a resident of the Jersey Shore, I figured
I could make a sizzle reel for a spicy reality show, but I was grateful that the gym environment was the
polar opposite of a certain TV show that shared the same name as Prairie’s location.
The unique thing about making a documentary is that the story you end up telling is different
from the one you expected. As I got a few months into filming, the real tale began to blossom. This was
not going to be a movie about a bunch of fights, but a movie about overcoming obstacles, gaining
confidence, and realizing self-worth.
The two stars of this movie are polar opposites, but go on the same journey in Muay Thai with
the hope of gaining the same results – understanding themselves through the martial arts. Even thought
they may not have realized it, what they did in the ring mirrored what they did outside of the ring.
Documenting them and making this movie was my five-round title fight. Despite all of the
trouble I had during production (crashed hard drives, faulty equipment, and bad weather to name a few),
I wanted to go the distance and beat the odds. At first, it was about proving to myself that I could make a
large scale movie. As time went on, I realized what really pushed me was I wanted to show others who
were struggling in life that we are not alone. We all have our fights in life, and after we get through the
fire & flames, it's these hard times that make us better people.
The slogan of the “Girl Fight Gym” is “Empowering women through martial arts,” and they truly
accomplish that, inside and out. These days, confidence and self-esteem are something that all genders
have issues with. My goal with this documentary is to empower viewers through the trials and
tribulations of this gym, and remind them that no one goes through their journey alone. As long as you
never give up, you can accomplish things you never thought you could, even if things do not turn out the
way you expect.
Thanks for watching, and I hope you enjoy the journey.
-Matthew Kaplowitz
CAST BIOS
Prairie Rugilo is the head coach and owner of
“The Girl Fight Gym,” an all-female Muay Thai
academy on the Jersey Shore that empowers
women through the martial arts. She opened the
gym in 2009, initially running classes out of the
Brick PAL building. In 2011, Prairie opened her
own location in Toms River, offering Muay Thai,
self-defense, Yoga, and fitness classes to women
of all ages in a safe environment.
A former WKA NY State Featherweight Champion, Prairie was one-half of the first Muay Thai fight
ever held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, as well as the first Muay Thai fighter to ever be
awarded a title belt inside the world famous arena. In 2012, she was inducted into the New Jersey
Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Jaime Philips is an assistant coach at the
gym, as well as 2-0 in amateur kickboxing.
Jaime was one of the very first students
that Prairie had at the original school, and
later became her girlfriend.
Jaime is always in Prairie’s corner during
fights, and attributes their strong
relationship to complementing each other’s
personalities without trying to change each
other. Fulltime, she is a detective-sergeant
with the Ocean County Sheriff’s
Department.
DeAna Mendez began training at “The Girl Fight
Gym” in March 2012. A police officer in North
Jersey, she balances her fulltime job with being a
single mother raising her three-year old son. Over a
year after she started coming to the gym, DeAna finds
herself preparing for her amateur Muay Thai debut,
and must overcome her fears and doubt to step into
the ring and make an impact.
Matthew Kaplowitz is the executive producer and director of GIRL FIGHT: A MUAY THAI STORY,
as well as lead shooter and editor of the film. A lifelong practitioner and fan of martial arts, he began
working for combat sports websites and magazines starting in 2006.
In 2009, he started TheFightNerd.com, a news website dedicated to the sport with a focus on video
production, which has become a reliable source for information & entertainment.
In 2012, Matthew became a Production Assistant with Original Media, where he worked on the weekly
live sports talk show, “MMA Uncensored Live”, for Spike TV. After the show ended a year later, he
became an Associate Producer at Matador Content, and worked on over a dozen shows for Spike TV,
including the “Frank Shamrock: Bound by Blood” documentary, several documentaries in the
“Unrivaled” series, pay-per-view specials, and the “Rampage 4 Real” reality series.
FAQ
Q: What is Muay Thai?
A: Muay Thai is a style of kickboxing that dates back hundreds of years, and is practiced throughout the
world. Created in Thailand, the names translates literally to “Thai Boxing” and uses punches, kicks,
knees, and elbows to strike their opponents.
A big difference between Muay Thai and Western boxing is that when two fighters clinch in Muay Thai,
they are allowed to continue fighting. Typically, it is during the clinch that competitors will utilizes
elbow and knee strikes, as well as sweeping or throwing their opponent to the ground.
Q: Why is a man making a film about women fighting, instead of a female director?
A: One could argue that the viewpoint of this movie would be different in the hands of a female director,
and they would be correct. However, one could also argue that it would be different in the hands of any
filmmaker, be they male, female, gay, straight, transgender, conservative, liberal, or whatever. This
documentary is what I took out of my year and a half of time spent with the ladies of “The Girl Fight”
gym, and I feel I put together a film that can be universally appreciated for its positive message.
Q: Is there a market for films about women in sports & action?
A: Absolutely. Despite studios claiming there is a minimal place in the market for strong female
protagonists in sports and action roles in film and television, history has proven otherwise. Television
especially has shown tremendous support for females in action-oriented roles, from Lynda Carter as
“Wonder Woman” in the ‘70s, to Lucy Lawless as “Xena” and Sarah Michelle Gellar as “Buffy the
Vampire Slayer,” with many more in modern media like Katniss from “The Hunger Games” or The
Black Widow in the Marvel Universe movies. Male and female audiences today are more interested in
the journey the characters go on and their stories rather than what their gender is.
Q: I don’t like violence or the idea of women fighting each other. Why should I watch this movie?
A: While GIRL FIGHT: A MUAY THAI STORY is a movie about fighting and features several fights, I
went out of my way to ensure that viewers feel as comfortable as possible while watching these action
sequences.
Visually, this is a blood-free film to make sure viewers who may be triggered by the sight of any gore
feel safe. The fight sequences that occur are the result of months of training and self-sacrifice on the part
of all competitors and, as viewers will see, become a means to self-discovery both physically and
mentally. I kept the in-ring fights short but satisfying, and if the viewers want to see more, they can find
the full-length videos of most of the fights online.
Muay Thai fighting, like most martial arts and combat sports, is less about seriously injuring your
opponent, and more about utilizing strategy and technique to defeat them. While everyone wants to win,
no one wants to do it at the cost of mutilating a person.
Q: I have never been a fan of any kind of fighting - why should I care about this movie?
A: While there are a few fight scenes in the movie, the majority of the film takes place outside of the
ring, as well as away from the Girl Fight gym.
The ultimate purpose of the film is to showcase the journey that Prairie and DeAna go through, and what
they learn about themselves through the martial arts. The fights are often the physical manifestation of
the emotions and thoughts of the fighters, and are presented as such.
Q: Where can I find more info on the “Girl Fight Gym”?
A: You can learn more about the gym on their official website at this link here, or their Facebook page
at this link here.
FILMMAKERS & CAST
Director, Executive Producer, Editor, Camera Op……….……………………....….Matthew Kaplowitz
Producer, Camera Op, Photographer…………………….……...…………………..…..Ken Maldonado
Producer………………………………………………………………………………. Stephen Koepfer
Producer………………………………………………………………………………. …Andrea Levine
Producer……………………………………………………………………………………Kenneth Chan
Associate Producer…………………………………………………………………….... Susumu Nagao
Associate Producer……………………………………...……………………………..Cherrie Shepherd
Camera Operator…………………………………………………….……………...…. Alexis Devaney
Camera Operator……………………………………………………………………….….Erick Roman
Camera Operator…………………………………………………………………..……John Scandalios
Production Assistant…………………………………………….………….……….…..Lauren Crocker
Production Assistant……………………………………………………………………..… Missy Levy
Production Assistant……………………………………………….……...Michael “Stets” Steczkowski
Supervising Sound Editor……………………………………………………………….Israel Bañuelos
Original Score…………………………………………...Alejandro Romero & Juan Pablo Miramontes
Sound Post-Production…………………………………………………………………… Kaparasound
Technical Consultant………………………..………………….………………..….Hiroko Yamamura
Technical Consultant……………..……….………………….………...…...…………Laura Raimondo
Legal Consultant…………………….……………………….……………………..……….Justin Klein
Prairie Rugilo
DeAna Mendez
Michelle Schneider
Rich Brattole
Eric Colon
Kate Allen
Molly Barg
Yanelisa Reyes
Antje Shoeman
STARRING
Jaime Phillips
Hazelle Dongui-is
Danielle Vail-Kuhlwein
Joan DiMeo
Darren Maciunski
Nichole Richiusa
Juliana Silva
Colleen Downing
Tiffany Cass
SPECIAL THANKS
Friday Night Fights
Lions Roar Promotions
Dead Serious
Weapons 9 Muay Thai
Nick Catone MMA & Fitness
Pop’s Boxing Gym
Fight Night Pics
NYBBC
World Kickboxing Association
Strikezone Promotions
Paleo Treats
Nik Hawks
Progressive Martial Arts
NY Combat Sambo
Rew Mitchell
Battle Balm
Warrior’s Cup
Checkmate Boxing Center
Tong Dragon MMA
Ground Swipers Rod & Gun Club
New Jersey State Athletic Control Board
Lee Selman
Awakening Fighters
Daryl Thuroff
Prairie’s custom mouthguard was provided by Damage Control Mouthguards
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© 2015