There isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking or moving about Fight Fam, a short (49-minute), locally produced documentary from Ruben Rodriguez Perez, created in part with funds from a 4Culture award grant. But it is well-wrought and thoughtful, and its subjects relatable, even if the world they inhabit isn’t.
It’s about Amy and Dex Montenegro, the matriarch and patriarch of an Issaquah family, who are both mixed martial arts fighters. It touches on how they met (training at the same gym), how they support each other’s careers, and the three daughters they’re raising and coaching to be the next generation of fighters (two wrestle, one boxes). The competitions in the film create a nice sense of tension and drama while also offering an intriguing glimpse at a segment of the population many of us probably don’t know much about, showing how MMA has grown from cult status into a full-fledged spectator sport.
Fight Fam screens this afternoon and tomorrow nightat the 45th Seattle International Film Festival. Further details here. Check out The Stranger‘s complete SIFF guide here.
