Great Trailer for the Bare-Knuckle Fighting Doc KNUCKLE

Here's the first full theatrical trailer for the documentary Knuckle. The film follows long standing family fueds over the course of 12 years who settle their disputes in the streets and with their fists, to uphold their honor, get their revenge, and fight for their family. I saw this movie at the Sundance Film Festival, and regardless of how unsettling it was to watch I thought it was an incredible riveting film! This movie is the real thing, and it's hard-freakin-core. It was amazing to see how deep the hatred goes between these families and how they feel that bare-knuckle boxing is the best, safest, and only way to settle things, of course there's a huge amount of money involved as well.

Did you see the Guy Ritchie film Snatch? You know the Irish Boxing character that Brad Pitt played in that movie? This is that world... only this is the real thing. HBO picked up the rights to this film and are in the process of turning it into a a new TV series. 

Here's the synopsis for the doc:

An epic 12-year journey into the brutal and secretive world of Irish Traveler bare-knuckle fighting. Residing in Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom, the Travelers are a nomadic ethnic group with their own customs and a deep sense of clan pride, despite being interrelated by marriage within their small population. When conflicts arise between rival clans, arguments are often settled through ritualized, bare-knuckle fighting. 

The movie is set to be released on December 2nd, watch the trailer below and tell us what you think!

Here is a excerpt from a review written by Ben P.

Most of the film is home video footage (shot by Palmer) of street fights as these families (most of the time cousins or other blood relatives) beat the crap out of each other for reasons unknown to many of them. Each generation grows into fighters ready and willing to battle the other side for family pride and honor, with the victors making VHS video tapes taunting the losing side and ensuring the feud continues for years to come. After the fights, the family gathers to watch the tape and drink at the local pub; it's not just the men watching, either - though the women are portrayed as being above all the violence and not condoning it as much, they can't hide from the camera as they scream their support and get as riled as the rest of them at the outcome of a brawl.

The events in this movie are so ludicrous that they almost don't seem real, but there's something so visceral about this type of violence; it's clear this isn't a stunt. It's fascinating that a segment of the population (small as it may be) lives like this, fighting over things some say go back over fifty years. There's some real Capulet/Montague stuff going down here, and as the movie progresses, we slowly discover part of the reasoning behind the bad blood. The true, real genesis of the hatred - if the memory of it even exists all these years later - is told differently by different people throughout the film, almost like the origins of The Joker's scars in The Dark Knight.

Here's a more detail synopsis from Fantastic Fest where the movie will be shown again:

When videographer Ian Palmer was hired to film a Quinn family wedding, he unexpectedly stumbled upon a documentary subject that would occupy him for over a decade. KNUCKLE centers around a feud between the Quinns and a neighboring clan, the Joyces. Both are part of a large group of ethnic Irish known as Travellers. Travellers are generally poor, travel from place to place in search of lodging and work and are often the victims of discrimination in Ireland.

In addition to sharing a Traveller heritage, the Quinns and Joyces are united by mutual hatred. Instead of resolving their issues in court or killing each other, the menfolk engage in bare-knuckle fights for honor and cash. One would think that a couple of fights would be enough to end a feud. However, the two families hated each other so much that they have continued to beat each other up for over 12 years.

Director Ian Palmer followed the Quinns and Joyces for years to document the arc of their long-running dispute. He captures numerous fights, most of which are brief and brutal, as well as the daily routines of various participants. The individual incidents that lead to the fights seem petty and slight, giving the impression that the family dispute has more to do with adrenaline and testosterone than family honor. However, a serious grudge borne of a real tragedy fuels the flurry of smashed faces. KNUCKLE isn’t just about fighting; it’s about a group of outsiders trying to survive in a world that is hostile to their way of life. (Rodney)

KNUCKLE will also be the theme of our signature festival event: Fantastic Debates. At the Fantastic Debates, press, filmmakers & film professionals enter the arena for a formal debate followed by two rounds of boxing. In the ring, the great issues facing the fan community are solved once and for all, first by words, then by fisticuffs. Four debates are scheduled, culminating in the main event, a bout featuring KNUCKLE star and undefeated bare-knuckle brawler James Quinn McDonagh versus Fantastic Fest Co-Founder Tim League. (Rodney Perkins)