Cuba-Russia Co-Production Will Bring Teófilo Stevenson's Life to the Cinema

February 10, 2025

The life and sports career of triple Olympic and world boxing champion Teófilo Stevenson will be brought to the big screen in a Cuba-Russia co-production, under the direction of filmmaker Alejandro Gil.

Teófilo will be the name of the film, which will be shot in 40 locations in Cuba and Russia, the renowned filmmaker noted at a press conference, highlighting the fact that the announcement was being made in Las Tunas, the birthplace of the extraordinary boxer.

Alejandro Gil was accompanied by producer Jorge Suárez Barrero and actors Alejandro Phillips and Kike Quiñones, who will play Stevenson and trainer Alcides Sagarra, respectively.

During the event, held in the Leonardo McKenzie Grant multipurpose hall, the place where Stevenson retired from boxing in 1988, it was clarified that the film, approximately two hours in length, will not have a biographical character, but will highlight the champion's life fundamentally during Olympic Games, as well as an essentially human character, in addition to elements of fiction.

His human value, it was explained, was marked by his high level of connection with the people, his patriotic feelings, and the pride he felt for his origins: La Grúa neighborhood, Delicias, Puerto Padre, Las Tunas, Cuba.

Gil stated that the film will have greater complexity than his film "Inocencia," due to the number of locations, especially in Havana, Las Tunas, and Russia, where the final filming will take place based on the conquest of his third Olympic gold medal in Moscow 80, which made him the only amateur boxer to achieve three titles under the three rings in the same division.

When speaking at the conference, actor Alejandro Phillips, a fourth-year student at the Higher Institute of Art, highlighted that it has been both a challenge and an honor for him to have been chosen to embody the great champion.

I have had to make an extra effort to imitate Teófilo during continuous training sessions at the Rafael Trejo gym in Havana, said Phillips.

For his part, Kike Quiñones also acknowledged the complexity of his character, Alcides Sagarra, founder of the Cuban School of Boxing, which has led him to step away from his usual work for several months to dedicate the time required by training.

During his boxing career, Teófilo Stevenson fought 321 bouts, with 301 victories, and in addition to his three Olympic titles, Munich 1972, Montreal 1976, and Moscow 80, he was world champion on three occasions.

History did not allow this boxing legend of the world to stand on the Olympic podium again, as Cuba did not participate in Los Angeles-84 and Seoul-88, when the athlete was at the height of his powers.