STUDENT FILM, “ON THE ROPES,” NOMINATED FOR ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY

richard.pierce@nyu.edu

Award-Winning Thesis Film Follows the Lives of 3 Amateur Boxers in Brooklyn, NY

A thesis film from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts has been nominated for a 2000 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film, On the Ropes, by Nanette Burstein and Brett Morgen, has also received numerous honors including a Special Jury Award at the 1999 Sundance Festival, among others.

On the Ropes will have its national television premiere on TLC Tuesday, April 4, 2000, from 9 to 11 PM (ET/PT. It is a production of Highway Films in association with TLC and was produced and directed by Nanette Burstein and Brett Morgen.

The documentary tells the story of three young fighters—two men and one woman—at the New Bed-Stuy Boxing Center in Brooklyn who are training for a shot at winning a Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament. Faced with overwhelming obstacles like drug abuse, poverty and their own self-doubts, these three rely on their dedicated trainer for the motivation to fulfill their dreams.

Nanette Burstein, born and raised in Buffalo, NY, and Brett Morgen, born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, met while film students in the graduate program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1995. Ms. Burstein first conceived the idea for On the Ropes as her 2nd year project and was assisted by Mr. Morgen. Subsequently, Mr. Morgen submitted it as his 3rd year thesis film, for which he received his MFA in 1999. Ms. Burstein received her BFA in film from NYU in 1994 and is presently a 4th year graduate student at the Tisch School.

Ms. Burstein and Mr. Morgen plan to attend the 72nd Academy Award ceremonies, which will be held in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 26, 2000.

This is only the third time in the history of the Academy of Awards and the second year in row a Tisch School of the Arts student film has been nominated for an Oscar. Last year, the Tisch graduate Keiko Ibi won the Oscar for an excerpt of her documentary thesis film The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years.

03/02/00