Backstage (2015)

Backstage 2015 / 백스테이지 2015 / baegseuteiji

With the fall of Pride and K1, UFC has established itself as the major league of mixed martial arts and 9 UFC fighters have emerged from Korea. Thanks to their success, the public has a high interest in mixed martial arts. The ‘Korean Top Team’ who have been writing the history of Korean MMA are 1.5 generation of fighters of the same age. Kang Beom Chan, Kim Jang Yong, Yang Dong I, Im Hyeon Gyu undergo hellish training together as they dream of making a comeback. Backstage shows the lives of MMA fighters who must endure a monk-like lifestyle and draws out their voices. They look like modern day gladiators on the outside but fear lurks deep in their hearts as they are forced to fight inside a cage. This documentary is a moving portrayal of how these fighters comfort and encourage each other in a community of friendship where a single mistake can lead to irrevocable despair. (Source: JIFF)