Film. ‘T-Rex.’ A Documentary About the Youngest — And one of the First Women — To Box in the Olympics.

T-rex Film


Directed by Drea Cooper & Zackary Canepari, T-Rex tells the story of 17-year-old Claressa “T-Rex” Shields. In 2012, Shields, a native of Flint, Michigan, went to the Olympics as the youngest — and one of the first women — to compete in boxing. Claressa “T-Rex” Shields first became interested in boxing at the age of 11 — she kept at it, undeterred by opposition to her choice of sport.

Eventually Shields rose in the ranks, and sharpened her skills as a boxer, she beat the number 1 ranked female middleweight boxer in the world, after having completed her Junior year in high school. She went to the Olympics later that year.

Here’s a short synopsis of the documentary, which will premiere at SXSW in Austin next month,

T-Rex isn’t her real name. Her real name is Claressa. Friends and family just call her Ressa. She’s from Flint, Michigan. She’s in high school. Next year she’ll be a senior. The first day we met, it was her 17th birthday. She had a water balloon fight and a big, yellow cake. She carries her money around in a plastic bottle. She wears her hair in braids (sometimes). She takes the bus to school. She likes twitter. She likes boys. She writes in her journal. Pretty everyday for a teenager. But this is hardly an everyday story. Six years ago her dad took her to a local boxing gym. She said she wanted to box. He said, “Hell no. Boxing is a man’s sport.” She ignored him. Next month, Women will box in the Olympics for the first time ever. None of them will be as young as Claressa. And that’s just where her story begins

Watch a trailer for the film below, and follow the film on Twitter and Facebook for more info.