Boyfighter, a haunting and deeply human short film directed by Julia Weisberg Cortés, produced by Mayte Avina, Doménica Castro and Constanza Castro. This incredible film stars Michael Mando (Better Call Saul, Orphan Black), will have its world premiere at the Oscar®-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival this August. The film is one of ten shorts selected for the 2025 Indeed Rising Voices program, an initiative committed to championing underrepresented BIPOC filmmakers through mentorship, funding, and high-profile exposure.
Set in a world shaped by economic hardship and generational violence, Boyfighter follows a retired bare-knuckle fighter who is forced to confront the brutal legacy he’s passed down to his son. As he prepares for the fight of his life, he must reckon with the emotional damage left in his wake and the possibility of redemption. Through this deeply personal lens, the film explores the enduring impact of toxic masculinity, the consequences of limited opportunity, and the fragile beauty that exists even amidst pain.
With a gripping, introspective performance from Michael Mando, Boyfighter delivers a raw, poetic meditation on fatherhood, healing, and the transformative power of connection. Director Julia Weisberg Cortés brings a lyrical visual style to the screen, crafting a story that is both timely and timeless, rooted in themes of legacy, violence, and love.
Inspired by the resilience of the Mexican-American women in her family, Julia Weisberg Cortés, crafts stories that explore identity, love, and hope within landscapes shaped by struggle. BOYFIGHTER marks an exciting new chapter in her storytelling, an exploration of fatherhood, a perspective previously uncharted in her work. With her signature emotional intimacy and deep sensitivity to character, Julia brings a nuanced lens to a traditionally masculine narrative. Working across both film and television, she remains dedicated to bridging the personal and the commercial, telling stories that resonate deeply while reaching wide audiences.
“Boyfighter is about more than violence—it’s about what men inherit emotionally when they’ve never been shown how to process pain,” said Cortés. “This story exists in the quiet moments between rage and forgiveness, and asks whether we can rewrite the scripts we’ve been handed.“
At its core, Boyfighter is a story about reckoning and hope: a man grappling with what it means to be a father, a fighter, and ultimately human. It’s a film that refuses to shy away from the darkness but insists on the possibility of light.
The Indeed Rising Voices program, created in partnership with Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani’s Hillman Grad Productions and 271 Films, empowers emerging filmmakers of color by supporting their visions from development to premiere. Boyfighter’s selection affirms its resonance as both an artistic achievement and a conversation starter.
Julia has dedicated this film to her late brother, to honor his life and his legacy of love.
