John Urbano: Beauty of the Fight

In his book of photography THE BEAUTY OF THE FIGHT, photographer and director John Urbano explores, with intimate images and devastating effects of the historical realities of Barraza and El Chorrillo, which suffered heavy losses when U.S. forces invaded in 1989 in order to capture General Manuel Noriega. Now this neighborhood is close to extinction due to commercial development. With a very nimble camera work and under the protection of military police the  filmmaker entered the Red Zone to capture for posterity not only the daily struggle, but also the dignity, joy, and awareness of its inhabitants.

The boxers, cock fighters, gang members, kids, small business owners, family members, community leaders, and visionaries working in the difficulties of everyday life to keep their homes and face the loss of loved ones due to conflicts of the street, while also expressing the inevitable wait for all the people who are unwitting victims of political and economic forces. Not only does the film gives voice to the people of this district, but also explores the vagaries of the documentation of a community destined to fall in the past.