Sandra Kybartas

Against the Ropes -- A fictional story inspired by North America's most famous female boxing promoter, Jackie Kallen, and her struggle to survive and succeed in a male dominated sport.

The Republic of Love -- Tom is a charismatic talk show host who is a little too quick to fall in love. Fay is an academic whose expectations are impossibly high. Their romance is a series of near misses as they connect in a maze of malls, condos and family homes, underpinning the idea that 'geography is destiny' and that each of us has our own 'republic of love.' Canada. English. Official Selection - Toronto Int'l FF.

Jackie Kallen isn't fighting for glory. She's fighting for respect. Inspired by a true story, Against The Ropes stars Meg Ryan as Kallen, a sassy, brassy boxing manager-in-the-making determined to change "Lethal" Luther Shaw (Omar Epps) from a mere street punk into a world-class prizefighter. To help Shaw rise to the rank of number-one contender, Jackie coaxes veteran trainer Felix Reynolds (Charles S. Dutton) out of retirement. But before they can all realize their dream of a championship bout, they must first learn what it takes to stand in each other's corner. It's not about how you fall. It's about how hard you fight back when you are Against The Ropes.

This fictional story inspired by North America's most famous female boxing promoter, Jackie Kallen, follows her struggle to survive and succeed in a male dominated sport.