Check out Janeane's conversation with award-winning filmmaker
Bryan TwZ Brousseau about his short documentary, "Everything But Fear"
Produced and directed by Bryan TwZ Brousseau, an award-winning filmmaker based in New York City, "Everything But Fear" will tell the story of Mendez, a Mexican immigrant, who rose from humble beginnings to open one of the country’s most famous boxing gyms in New York City.
Tenemos todo menos miedo – we have everything but fear – is a phrase that inspired Francisco in his dream to create a premier training facility that centered around hard work, family, and united the community of boxers under his guidance.
The boxing community was stunned when the legendary trainer and mentor died of COVID-19 during the shutdown of NYC in 2020.
Brousseau recalls his shock at hearing of his death. " I had trained many times at Mendez and saw first-hand how the incredible sense of community there flowed from Francisco. After I got off the phone with Ricky Ray, one of the trainers at Mendez, we knew we had to tell Francisco’s story."
Told through a combination of interviews, archival footage, and animation, the homage was written by Joe Neal, edited by Tim Mullen, associate produced by Eric Gomez, Lisa Edward, and Ricky Ray Taylor. The evocative music score was supervised by APM Music and Aaron D'Arcy.
The film has received acclaim most recently at the Queens World Film Festival in June 2021. It will screen at DWF on Sep. 7 d s
SYNOPSIS
Everything But Fear is a short documentary about Francisco Mendez, a renowned boxing trainer and founder of Mendez Boxing, New York City’s premier boxing gym. Tenemos todo menos miedo – we have everything but fear – is a phrase that guided Francisco from rural Mexico to 26th Street in Manhattan, and this film is a testament to everything that he achieved as well as what the New York City boxing community lost when he died of COVID-19.
Mendez Boxing is located a few blocks from Madison Square Garden and welcomes new boxers, amateurs, and professionals. It’s also where some of the best trainers in boxing work, and this combination of personalities, skill levels, and styles has made Mendez Boxing one of the best boxing gyms in the country.
As a trainer, Francisco taught a traditional, Mexican style of boxing, which was to keep moving forward in the ring. From training countless fighters, to building his gym, to beating cancer, Francisco always kept moving. Everything But Fear shows how one man rose from humble beginnings to establish a name that will always be associated with hard work, family, and the community of boxing.
About the Filmmaker
Bryan TwZ Brousseau's most recent projects include cinematography on “The Return,” an award-winning short documentary about former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and Army veteran Rocky Bleier’s return to Vietnam, and the feature documentary “When New York was One: The Yankees, The Mets & The 2000 Subway Series”. He is currently a producer on Last Call, a feature documentary about how COVID-19 has affected the hospitality industry in New York City.
Bryan TwZ Brousseau's most recent projects include cinematography on “The Return,” an award-winning short documentary about former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and Army veteran Rocky Bleier’s return to Vietnam, and the feature documentary “When New York was One: The Yankees, The Mets & The 2000 Subway Series”. He is currently a producer on Last Call, a feature documentary about how COVID-19 has affected the hospitality industry in New York City.
