‘Manny’ delves into boxer’s struggle to succeed

Everyone has a story, and oftentimes certain parts of that story are untold, even when you’re a world-famous boxing champion.

Filmmaker Ryan Moore always knew there was something deeper to Manny Pacquiao than his reputation as one of history’s best pound-for-pound fighters. His desire to uncover the superstar’s past and persona turned into a five-year filmmaking journey that resulted in "Manny," which has a repeat screening Sunday as part of the Fili­pino Film Festival underway at the Hono­lulu Museum of Arts’ Doris Duke Theatre.

Moore, who is part Fili­pino, was in Hawaii last weekend for the first showing of his 90-minute documentary, which is benefitting from the intense hype surrounding Pacquiao’s long-anticipated showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The film, narrated by actor Liam Neeson, includes exclusive footage of Pacquiao at home; interviews with Mark Wahlberg, Jimmy Kimmel, Oscar De La Hoya and other celebrities and sports analysts; and original music by Lorne Balfe. It delves into such topics as the mismanagement of Pacquiao’s early boxing career and why it took so long to cement the deal for the upcoming Mayweather rematch.

Moore said he grew up with a knack for telling stories, but it wasn’t until he moved from Cali­for­nia to the Philippines to attend high school that he began exploring his ethnic roots.

Roaming the streets of Aringay in the La Union province, where his mother grew up, Moore asked family members about their experiences and heard back many tales of perseverance. He learned about his maternal grandmother raising six children on her own, living on the meager income from her small sari-sari (variety) store and saving money to put his mother through nursing school.

Moore said he realized his mission to share stories of Fili­pino culture.

"No one ever talks about the difficult times, and I think Fili­pinos for the most part, we tend to not to dwell on the hardships of our lives," he said.

At the time, Pacquiao had already focused the international spotlight on the Philippines and was considered the standard bearer for Fili­pino culture. Moore said the boxer’s story personifies the Fili­pino struggle, and he even mentioned Pacquiao in his admissions letter to the University of Southern Cali­for­nia’s film school. Although Moore ended up enrolled in the business school at USC, he wasn’t deterred from learning film production through trial and error.

When Moore met Pacquiao at a Los Angeles charity event in 2009, he took it as a sign that it was time to make his dream a reality. He said he joined the group of acquaintances hanging around with the boxer and eventually gained Pacquiao’s trust. The champ signed on to the film project and allowed Moore to capture the intimate moments of his life. What originally was projected as a 12- to 18-month shoot expanded into five years of filming.

"I couldn’t stop filming because his life was changing so much, and I knew that if I stopped that I would miss out on it," Moore said. "I felt like if I didn’t do his story justice, then all of my work wouldn’t be right."

It was a true labor of passion, as Moore financed the project himself with income from a real estate business he started with two relatives to support himself and pursue his creative endeavors.

"I was literally working 20-hour days at times," he said. "I would be working during the day, then set out to film during the evening. I was also traveling internationally for months at a time so that I could be with Manny in the Philippines."

Not only a champion boxer, Pacquiao is an elected government official, a born-again Christian and spokes­man for his faith, a family man and amateur singer. Yet despite his celebrity and riches, Moore’s film emphasizes the connection many fans find in Pacquiao’s inspiring story.

"Because of Manny I learned that in life you’ll never know all the answers," Moore said. "Manny didn’t have a formal education, and he didn’t have a plan. He prayed and prayed and remained completely in tune with what he knew.

"I’ve kind of followed his same plan and for some reason felt that this is what I was compelled to do, and I devoted myself to it."

Moore shares directing credit on "Manny" with Leon Gast, who won an Academy Award for "When We Were Kings," a 1996 documentary on the 1974 heavyweight championship bout in Zaire between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.

Universal recently bought the rights to "Manny" for international distribution.

Even though the film was released in January, Moore will have his cameras rolling right up until Saturday’s fight in Las Vegas. He said he has never seen Pacquiao so focused and expects him to beat his nemesis. No matter which warrior is declared the victor, Moore said, "Manny" shows that Pacquiao is already a winner.

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Read Jermel-Lynn Quillopo’s "Social Encore" blog at honolulupulse.com.