Rise Above — Richie Hardcore
Richie Hardcore’s charitable trust Rise Above reached out to us to create a series of short films for incarcerated young men in Aotearoa.
The Muay Thai champion, educator and activist has dedicated his life to turning young people’s lives from paths of self destruction.
Across four films he tells us stories of his childhood; dealing with addiction, violence, depression, and relationships with the goal of relating to young offenders.
Bringing these films to life for Rise Above was a project we were stoked to put ourselves behind, helping to give these young men a glimpse at a new trajectory in life.
Film One — My Story
Our first film follows Richie’s personal journey.
From the streets of West Auckland to the fighting cages of South East Asia, using martial arts as an outlet for negative emotions took Richie down a path few have walked.
The film explores what effect childhood trauma has on the early stages of emotional development, and how he learned to transform that trauma into something better, and ultimately something healing.
Film Two — Company You Keep
You are what you do. Or at least, you are who you spend your time with.
The second film explores what it means to escape your established social structures. Richie’s anecdotes of his early friendships and their weekend habits illustrate to the viewer a familiar world in which those around you shape your actions and lifestyle choices.
Shifting away from those who default toward violence and substance abuse, Richie explains how constructing a positive sphere of social influence around ourselves can open up new doors of healing conversation and vulnerability.
Film Three — Managing Emotions
As a former Muay Thai champion, Richie is comfortable in his relationship with violence. An occupational hazard in one sense - and an act of self preservation in another.
In the third film, Richie examines the cycle of violence that results in many young people serving time behind bars. Experiencing violence, being the victim of violence, and being the perpetrator of violence.
Richie’s journey of channeling those violent tendencies into the fighting ring instead of his perceived enemies helped him forge a balanced relationship with violence that would redefine his life.
