Two first look stills are now online for MMA drama, Tramp, via press release from EMC Productions over at Screendaily. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Philip James McGoldrick, who shepherds the production label with partner and co-producer Marina Elderton.
TRAMP is an emotionally charged sports drama following Grazyna “The Tramp” Jarzynowska, a British-Polish MMA fighter whose meteoric rise is abruptly halted by an unexpected pregnancy.
Battling the dual challenges of a male-dominated sport and the fall out from a failed abortion, Grazyna must summon every ounce of strength- both physical and emotional- to reclaim her future. Inspired by real-life fighters, “TRAMP” delivers a raw and unflinching exploration of resilience, motherhood and MMA.
British-Polish actress Izabella Malewska (“Holby City,” “Cold Feet) leads the cast along with Alessandro Babalola (“Top Boy,” The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) and Michal Wlodarczyk (“The Londoners”). Rounding out the roster are co-stars Tomos Eames and Piotr Baumann, Muay Thai champion Ruqsana Begum and three-time kickboxing champion Ruth Nelson.
”It’s a personal story, shaped by my experience witnessing Marina’s extraordinary strength during a difficult pregnancy,” says McGoldrick. “During the final days of filming, Marina went into labour and the real footage of our son’s birth is incorporated into the film.”
The film shot for 30 days across London, including intervals at MMA Fightstar Championships at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in south London, using two camera units in the process. McGoldrick, Begum, Nelson, and Włodarczyk also collaborated for the film’s fight scene assembly with choreographers Julian Gilmour, and Ali Wilson.
“I like to work with a combination of non-actors and actors,” says McGoldrick. “The rawness of non-actors complements the professionalism of actors, and together, they balance each other out. It all contributes to the authenticity.”
“Ruqsana and Ruth were amazing for the fight scenes. It was important to have as many real fighters as we could, filming backstage at the events,” says Elderton. “At times TRAMP feels like a documentary, which is what we wanted.”
…
“They had about 15 minutes to do it effectively live with an audience, which was great because it gave us an electric energy to capture,” explains Elderton.
McGoldrick and Elderton are now in talks with sales agents, distributors and film festival reps. Both produced the film along with Golden Rhinoceros Award winner Bin Zhang. Jia Lang and Jiawei Li, who worked as the film’s colourist and editor, serve as associate producers in the film and are steering the film’s release plans in China.
Read more at Screendaily.