‘It’s a drug I can’t give up’
Hollister fighter Kelsey Jeffries isn’t about to quit her day
job just yet.
The local champion boxer was, however, portrayed in a new
documentary titled
”
After the Last Round
”
recently, which made its world premiere at the 24th annual Santa
Barbara International Film Festival on Jan. 29.
‘It’s a drug I can’t give up’
Hollister fighter Kelsey Jeffries isn’t about to quit her day job just yet.
The local champion boxer was, however, portrayed in a new documentary titled “After the Last Round” recently, which made its world premiere at the 24th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Jan. 29.
Taking an honest look into an at times brutal sport, the film breaks down both the good and the bad of boxing, looking into the rigorous yet rewarding aspects the sport can bring, while also showing the viewer the long-term and damaging effects the sport can have on its fighters.
But Jeffries is highlighted as a truly dedicated competitor in the film, and one who is fully aware of all the glory and heartbreak the sport can carry.
Along with manager Bruce Anderson, Jeffries traveled south to Santa Barbara to view the film.
“It was interesting. It was something that hasn’t been done on boxing,” Jeffries said. “I thought it gave the audience of boxing a different outlook – just the chance to see what we take to do what we do.”
And the film most certainly delves into the chances and risks fighters take with their bodies, their minds, each and every round in the ring.
“She knows the risks. She’s wiling to take it,” Anderson said. “The film, it was a balance. Here’s the good and here’s the bad. Kelsey was the good.”
Directed by Ryan Pettey, who previously said he wanted to make an honest film about boxing, the film revolves around four separate stories with countless interviews from former fighters, trainers, historians, experts and doctors, among others.
Although two of the stories in particular deal exclusively with brain damage, Jeffries’ story takes on a different dynamic – a world champion fighter who picked herself up and dusted herself off.
Jeffries’ story, along with heavyweight boxer DaVarryl Williamson’s, portrays the active fighter and their relationships out of the ring, their resiliency and commitment to the sport, and the almost drug-like addiction boxing has on them.
The stories of Denny and Phil Moyer, as well as Tony Bruno – three fighters who have suffered some form brain damage during the course of their respective boxing careers – act as a direct contrast to this.
“Everything in my life is a fight. I make it a fight, whether it’s there or not,” Jeffries said in the film. “You get up – you’re tired, you’re sore – I don’t care. You go to the gym.”
“That’s been my drug, and it’s a drug I can’t give up.”
Anderson was pleased with Jeffries’ portrayal, and felt the documentary was good for what it was trying to do.
“I was truly happy to see her come out as the success story,” Anderson said. “Her sincerity captured the crowd and they really liked her.
“It was nice for me to see her get the appreciation and respect she deserves.”
Anderson, a father figure to Jeffries, poses an interesting question in the film that the film itself tries to tackle: What happens when the fighter no longer wants to fight?
“She needs a support system,” Anderson said in the film. “She needs people like [trainer Buddy McGirt] and I that have that kind of empathy and compassion for the human being, and not just because they’re an athlete.
“You don’t find that anymore.”
Viewed by approximately 500 people at the premiere, “After the Last Round” is looking to make the rounds at film festivals across the country. However, Pettey said he’s having difficulty getting the documentary admitted to local festivals, including Cinequest in San Jose and the San Francisco Independent Film Festival.
“We’re still not getting it out to as many eyes as we want,” Pettey said. “But it was one of the best premieres we could have hoped for.”
Pettey plans on submitting the film to the San Francisco Documentary Film Festival, scheduled for October.
The first-time director has entertained the idea of making a few cuts to the film, though, which lasted 1 hour and 28 minutes at the premiere.
Jeffries, who was pleased with how she was portrayed in the film, said she received tremendous feedback afterwards, and was described as very inspiring, very sincere and very real.
Jeffries says she’s always been aware of the toll boxing can take, but the stories of the Moyer brothers and Bruno certainly did open her eyes.
“You understand why that is,” Jeffries said. “But we know the consequences and I still love it.”
