We are the champions! Keith’s film on boxing champ packs a punch at Cannes
Double awards joy follows success in Hollywood
A LOUGHBOROUGH film-maker is s celebrating scooping two awards at the world-renowned Cannes film m festival.
Keith Large, who works at Loughborough - College, has received the e great news that Champ of Champs, the story of the world’s oldest boxer, has won both best documentary and best producer awards at the French Riviera-based annual event.
This takes the number of awards gained for the film to more than 30.
Keith told the Echo: “To begin 2020 collecting an award for another film in Hollywood and end it by seeing Champ of Champs screened at The Theatre Alexandra III in
Cannes is beyond my wildest dreams but, anything is possible, working with such an inspirational character as Steve Ward.”
And he explained that the source of the Cannes success was a chance visit to a local café.
“I was fascinated by the fact that the former Champs near East Midlands Airport was filled with memorabilia about a remarkable Nottinghamshire boxer.
“It told the story of Mansfield’s Steve Ward, the oldest professional boxer in the world. So I decided to get in touch with Steve and we went from there.”
And there may yet be more to come as Ward, now 64, is still boxing and is due to fight again for the inaugural Gold Division title on a cruise ship off the coast of Barbados in May. The award-winning film captures the incredible story of how Ward recovered from a devastating work accident when a concrete segment weighing one tonne fell on his foot to resume his career in the ring. He has already been in the Guinness Book of Records three times as the oldest ever boxer and the May fight would also be a record-breaker. Ward said: “I’m now waiting to see whether I’ll be off to France as well as Barbados. Keith did an unbelievable job with the film, but I know its success has surpassed everyone’s expectations.”
Ward is also working with former Echo news editor John Brindley on his autobiography which is due out to mark his retirement from the ring at the age of 65 next year.
To begin 2020 collecting an award in Hollywood... and end it by seeing Champ of Champs screened... in Cannes is beyond my wildest dreams