Synopsis
Butterflies and Hurricanes is a documentary which follows Alisanne (Ali) Casey, A female Thai boxer, 24 hours before,
during and after one of her fights. Filmed during a championship match in Las Vegas, the film follows Ali as she goes through
the process of weighing-in and preparing herself mentally and physically for her bout. From Salt Lake to Bangkok to New York City,
interviews with Ali’s trainers, peers and colleagues offer insights into the impact of fighting on her life. Featuring a soundtrack
with original songs by Gina Volpe (of Bantam, Lunachicks), Butterflies and Hurricanes gives us a glimpse into one woman’s struggle to
achieve professional and personal fulfillment by virtue of her own blood, sweat and tears.
Click here to read the review from CUNY Newswire
Click here to watch the "Director's Chair" interview from CTV
Synopsis
Butterflies and Hurricanes is a documentary which follows Alisanne (Ali) Casey, A female Thai boxer, 24 hours before,
during and after one of her fights. Filmed during a championship match in Las Vegas, the film follows Ali as she goes through
the process of weighing-in and preparing herself mentally and physically for her bout. From Salt Lake to Bangkok to New York City,
interviews with Ali’s trainers, peers and colleagues offer insights into the impact of fighting on her life. Featuring a soundtrack
with original songs by Gina Volpe (of Bantam, Lunachicks), Butterflies and Hurricanes gives us a glimpse into one woman’s struggle to
achieve professional and personal fulfillment by virtue of her own blood, sweat and tears.
Click here to read the review from CUNY Newswire
Click here to watch the "Director's Chair" interview from CTV
Director’s Statement
Butterflies and Hurricanes gives a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle of a real female fighter. This non-fictional account
shows the benefits and costs of this demanding, traditionally male-dominated realm of athletics.
I was inspired to make this film by the desire to document Alisanne’s experience in the ring, as well as her training and her life.
After having earned a black belt in the art of HapKiDo, Ali started training and competing in Muay Thai at the age of thirty. Within a
few years she had captured national and international titles and at the same time was maintaining a professional career and persona.
Her life at the gym and on the job were in stark opposition to one another and friends and family had often questioned the wisdom of her
decision to pursue such a brutal sport. She loved training and competing but she wasn’t sure how long into the future she would continue to
fight. After a tough loss to Emily Bearden in May 2005 she was really taking a hard look at the reality.
When the opportunity to film this fight came up I jumped on it because I wanted to show people the discipline and determination involved in
Alisanne’s decision to return to the ring. Female fighters like Alisanne are out there pursuing their love of the fight in opposition to the
ideal of women as passive, incapable of aggression and inferior in strength. In spite of her own doubts Ali accepted the fight, resolved to
address some of the factors that culminated in her defeat. Ali’s experience inspired me to show the world that she was not just a female or a
fighter but a multi-faceted human who was living her dream in spite of all the risks. This piece was created in part as a counterpoint to
recent movies that present a glamorized, melodramatic depiction of female fighters.
Biography
Alisanne Casey has over 15 years experience in martial arts. She earned a 1st degree black belt in the Korean martial art, HapKiDo, was a
two-time WKA US Flyweight Muay Thai Champion, WKA Flyweight Kickboxing Champion, two-time World Cup Muay Thai Bantamweight Bronze Medalist
and the MTIA 2005 Flyweight World Champion. Casey announced her retirement from the ring last fall after 5 years of competing at the highest
amateur levels of the sport.
Professionally, Casey has been in communications for 17 years. She is Director of Public Relations and Communications for FatPipe Networks, a
technology company. Prior to joining FatPipe, Casey was Director of Technology Conferences for International Media Partners, a political
consulting and publishing firm. Casey received her BA in Political Science from The State University of New York at Purchase.
