INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY
SYNOPSIS
The Tiger's Boxer is a human social comedy that narrates the compelling story of a teen boxer, Alex, who faces the fight of his life against an aggressive form of cancer personified as a Tiger in his vivid hallucinations. As he navigates the challenges of his illness, Alex learns about courage, the power of the human spirit, and the importance of love and humor from family and friends in the darkest of times.
ALEX | THE BOXER
Confirmed as Alex, Javon Wanna Walton.
Javon is the youngest athlete/entertainer ever to sign with NIKE’s Brand Jordan and is the youngest boxer signed to Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions. Javon has 14 million followers across Instagram and TikTok and growing.
Click Link to know more about Javon.
ALEX is 16 years old, handsome with dark eyes. He loves boxing, but gets distracted by his crush on Noemie. As the youngest in his family, his parents and older sister are overly protective. He is introverted and lacks self confidence. His cancer diagnoses leads him through a journey to find his self-confidence, where boxing becomes the reflection of his passionate rage for life. He also builds the courage to declare his love for Noemie. He experiences all of the stages of grief, but through his journey, he and everyone in his life are profoundly changed.
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JOSEPHINE | THE MOTHER
Josephine is Alex’s mother. She is in her 40’s, half English and half French, and adopted by an American family. She carries an abandonment wound which makes her very protective. She was a model in her youth, and an aspiring singer. She plays and teaches guitar. She stops playing music when she learns her son has cancer but starts again to help him and other children. She’s a heavy smoker, and struggles to quit in the face of Alex’s diagnosis. As a protective mother, she keeps her struggles to herself to avoid burdening her family. There is a natural comedy to her behavior.
Max, Alex’s father, is 50 years old. He’s a Jewish Egyptian commercial director. A little chubby, he loves to eat and smoke weed. He says this helps him get closer to God. He would love to see his family have a little bit more faith in the Jewish religion. He once dreamed to be a boxer like Alex. Max goes through his own personal transformation through Alex’s health journey.
Jane, Alex’s sister, is 23. She’s a student studying documentary filmmaking and for her thesis, she has to do a documentary on Ayurvedic medicine. She travels globally and speaks English and French. She has her father’s temper and her mother’s sweetness. She’s optimistic, and rebellious, always looking for ways to save the world. Jane also has a strong relationship to spirituality. She uses her documentary to express herself, and to help support Alex.
NOEMIE is the 15 year old daughter of Mourad and his love interest. She’s turning sweet sixteen and wishes Alex to be at her birthday. She also takes boxing class from her father even if her passion remains drawing. Fixated on the death of her mother to cancer, she has health anxieties. She is romantic and mature for her age. Her feelings for Alex help her to overcome her fears and to grow.
THE PLOT
The Tiger’s Boxer is a heartwarming, inspirational tale of inner strength with boxing and a sense of humor.
Alex is 16. He is a good student, in love for the first time, and dreams of becoming a professional boxer. He and Branko compete for their local gym's featherweight championship. During their intense match, Alex is about to knock him out when he is distracted by the image of a four-legged creature. Branko takes advantage and knocks Alex out. Mourad, their coach, sees potential in both and enters them in the regional championships. Both are thrilled, but their rivalry extends beyond the ring as they both like Noemie, Mourad’s daughter.
Back home, Alex collapses and is rushed to the hospital where he is diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma. His parents, Josephine and Max, are devastated. Jane, his older sister, returns from India where she has been working on a documentary about natural healing. Jane believes that Alex will benefit himself, and others by filming his fight through his recovery process. She convinces Alex to document his cancer journey. Alex reluctantly agrees, but he allows only his family and best friend, Othman to know the truth about his health condition. He starts filming himself with his phone, determined to keep his diagnosis a secret.
As Alex's condition worsens, the four-legged creature seen in the boxing ring, has now turned into a Tiger, representing his cancer. Alex is shuttled back and forth between home and the hospital over the upcoming months. Refusing to give in to the Tiger, Alex wants to be a regular teen. He sneaks out to attend Noemie's Sweet 16, where he realizes she has feelings for him too. The next day, he is back in the hospital with a severe infection.
Alex bonds with other patients: Marius, an 8-year-old whose parents are in denial, Oceane, a 15-year-old who hides her cancer with makeup, and Lina, a 3-year-old dancer. He teaches them boxing and they teach him about life and death. Despite his deteriorating health, Alex remains determined and persuades his family to help him sneak out to see Noemie. Oceane does his make up and lends him her red headed wig to cover that Alex is now bald. He meets Noemie, his family spying from outside, and they really connect. He tells her he is a clown for children with cancer in a hospital and she believes him.
Alex continues to train and film his journey, becoming a source of inspiration for those around him. His family becomes closer, and the hospital floor's mood lightens with their unique energy. However, Alex's battles with the Tiger intensify.
One night, Alex sneaks out to be with Noemie, but she discovers his catheter and he admits he has cancer. Though initially shaken, Noemie understands, as her mother died of cancer. They share a tender moment before Alex returns to the hospital.
As the championship approaches, Alex devises a plan to compete. Mourad sees Alex at the weigh in. He is shocked at how underweight Alex is. He learns the truth about the cancer. Alex begs Mourad to have him live one moment of freedom. Against all the rules, and his better judgement, Mourad agrees. Noemie is mortified and tries to stop Alex but this is something Alex must do. His opponent doesn't want to hit a cancer patient so he allows Alex to get some punches in. But Alex, too weak to continue begs his opponent to really fight. Alex is knocked out with one punch. Alex's family comes rushing in at the last moment, next stop...the hospital.
Alex finds out that Marius has died. Deeply hurt, he stays inspired by Marius's note calling him his best friend and a champion. Alex is determined to fight the Tiger… The doctor warns them to prepare for the worst, but Josephine insists on staying positive.
With his family's support and a final stem cell transplant, Alex beats the odds and becomes cancer-free. The Tiger has been extinguished. They hold a service for Marius, and Alex learns that Burkitt's lymphoma is known as the Tiger's Disease because it attacks the body so quickly. Everything makes sense to Alex now.
Two years later, Alex prepares for another match. Jane films him as he reflects on his journey, quoting Bob Marley: “To see the rainbow, you have to love the rain.” The film ends with his family and Noemie watching the documentary about his fight against cancer.
THE HOSPITAL
VISUALS AND SOUND
The narrative translates the realistic point of view of my brother through a hybrid technic mixing 3D animation, documentary mood and upbeat cinematography. The handheld shots reflect Alex’s relationship with those around him. The abundance of communication, an over protective family, texts and FaceTime exchanges isolate Alex. He is an introvert in an extroverted world. The story is also told through a more omniscient point of view, which we see in stabilized camera shots.
The camera that Alex holds helps his gradually sharpen his view of his situation. Alex reconnects with the world of boxing through his punching bag and his visions of a Tiger’s Boxer that can travel between dream and reality.
The cold, desaturated world of the hospital is brought to life, and injected with color by the Tiger character. The Tiger, a reflection of Alex’s illness and denial, pushes him to be strong and courageous. Time and space will be distorted through the lens of Alex’s overwhelming emotions, caused by the influence of sedatives he is taking during his treatment.
With sound processing, there will be moments through Alex’s journey where we will drown the viewer in a form of deafening incomprehension.
The sound of hospital machines, punches and muffled dialogue is used to represent what Alex feels. The music has been chosen for its sensitivity and tempo which reflects Alex’s psychological evolution by bringing perspective and hope.
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A FILM BY
JANE SCHINASI | Director & Writer
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
After studying at ESRA school in Paris for three years, USC LA, theater class at Art'Air Studio, and under Jean Laurent Cochet, I ventured into directing, creating a diverse portfolio of short films, music videos, commercials, and corporate films. I later founded my NGO, HUG BACK, to produce films that address humanitarian and environmental issues.
Through HUG BACK, I created the documentary series "The Hope Bearers," also known as "Missions of Hope," which was broadcast on Ushuaia TV, TV5 Worldwide, and Planète+. My documentary "CONNECTED" was shown in cinemas in Geneva and Paris. Thanks to HUG BACK, I created the documentary "RODIN ET MOI," which focuses on children with cancer at the Red Cross hospital. It was broadcast at the Ministry of Culture for three months and on the French TV channel FRANCE 2. Right before entering in pre production of Tiger’s Boxer feature, I wrote, directed and acted in the short film "The Tiger’s Boxer " . The film was awarded in 3 festivals.
"The Tiger's Boxer," is a realistic fiction feature film for children and families. It is one of my latest projects as a director, writer, actor, along with "DOUGLAS," an animated science fiction feature film currently in development.
My goal as a director with "The Tiger's Boxer" is to raise awareness about cancer, changing how people view cancer, particularly for children and their families. This feature is a humble contribution toward making a positive impact.
I aim to inspire the public to change, transform, protect, preserve, and stay connected with the environment and life itself by sharing stories of wonderful energy, goodwill, and innovative solutions.
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ABOUT THE PRODUCERS
DAVID ORNSTON | PRODUCER
I have been producing Hollywood independent films since 1996 with close to 40 films to date. De Niro, Morgan Freeman(4x), Travolta, Meg Ryan and Evan Rachel Wood have appeared in my films, to name a few. I have gotten world wide distribution on every film.
I am very passionate about Tiger's Boxer. My whole family has died of cancer and I want to give back. This is a true story based on the younger brother of Jane Schinasi, a hugely talented writer/director. It's heartwarming, inspirational, depicts the ultimate in inner strength, a sense of humor and a good amount of boxing.
In a world being consumed with war and hate, Tiger's Boxer is a film that helps us look at things that really matter...Love and family.
MAY LEUNG | PRODUCER
With decades of feature and series experience, I have provided creative and technical guidance on several high-profile projects such as CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (Marvel/Paramount) for Joe Johnston, Bryan Singer’s BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (20th Century), HORIZON LINE (Epix) with Mikael Marcimain, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and INCEPTION (WB) for Christopher Nolan. I have leaned into my extensive experience as a lead within the ranks of award-winning VFX houses to bring filmmakers' visions to life. I have generated budgets for film and HETV, by working with various production departments and producers. Taking films from inception to completion in Visual Effects. I have recently transitioned to producing, bringing my visual effects knowledge into discussions with regards to methodology, innovative filming and cost efficiencies as well as creative visuals. As filmmakers are drawn to my expertise, I now have multiple films in development such as It Feasts, The Tiger’s Boxer and Cold Enough For Snow as Producer.
This film draws from my personal experience as I have had cancer and am in 4 years remission. It is with great pleasure that I was invited to join in Jane and David's journey to assist in bringing the creative look of the Tiger to life.
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