Slugfest (2023) · 5 minutes 32 seconds · English
SLUGFEST emerges as a playful, engaging martial arts experience that delves into the "inner-feminist struggles" that have characterized recent years and decades. Yet, unlike narratives of division, this film champions the concept of unity, emphasizing the dire need for solidarity and deeper mutual respect within feminist discourse. The film's central motif is a stylized, choreographed sparring training that, while aimed at empowerment and self-discovery, can sometimes escalate beyond control. This metaphorical approach isn't about antagonism but represents the passionate debates that fuel progress and understanding, even when they momentarily seem to get out of hand.
Written and directed by Jasmin Hagendorfer.
Co-written by Johannes Grenzfurthner.
Featuring Nina Dafert, Julija Kosak, Johannes Grenzfurthner.
Produced by Jasmin Hagendorfer, Johannes Grenzfurthner and Günther Friesinger.
Cinematographer: Florian Hofer & Ronald von den Sternen.
Editor: Anton Paievski.
Location manager / Sound recordist: Ronald von den Sternen.
Sound design and mastering: Daniel Hasibar.
Music by FORM.
With the support of Film Funding Vienna MA7. Thanks to the City of Eichgraben.
PRESS:
Film Threat: "[Hagendorfer's] film packs a lot into 5 and 1/2 minutes. The characters act out the increasingly complex and specific challenges women are compelled to debate when discussing feminism, while at the same time dealing with the simian, reductive nature of men. Slugfest is funny, insightful, sarcastic, and edifying. A viewer just might learn something while being entertained, if they are not careful."