JessZilla

Feature Doc · Big Sky Premiere

JessZilla

World premiere at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, 2023

Jesselyn Silva is a three-time national boxing champion with Olympic plans and a father, Pedro, who has been in her corner since she was seven years old.

Then, at fifteen, a cancer diagnosis changes what the word fight means in their house. What began as a sports film became a coming-of-age story about family, nerve, and what it actually takes to be a champion.

We filmed it over eight years. There were two of us.

Awards & Selections

  • Best Picture, Best Director, Best Documentary, Fargo Film Festival
  • Special Jury Mention, Documentary Feature, Atlanta Film Festival
  • Spotlight Award, Slamdance Indie Awards
  • In competition at IDFA, Big Sky, DOC NYC, Atlanta and Hot Springs
  • Selected for the American Film Showcase and the inaugural Popcorn List