Grappling Grace
Directors: Alexander Kiehl and Misha Novak
Crew:Executive Producers: Samuel Anderson, John Quinn; Cinematography: Mikołaj Bakalarz; Shooting Director: Luke David; Composer: Ruben Fox.
Email:alexkiehl@gmail.com
Synopsis
A jazz-dancing Iranian-British wrestler opens a healing dojo inside a church in Bristol, armed with a belief that wrestling might just save the world.
Nicknamed the Iranian Billy Elliot, Saeed has created a unique type of therapy for the beautiful misfits of society. However, when his mother suffers a sudden stroke everything changes. Caring for her strips away his certainty as the spiralling cost of care threatens to leave them homeless.
Saeed’s revolutionary work with offenders, refugees and neurodivergent children has been recognised by an honorary doctorate and an award from King Charles.
GRAPPLING GRACE is about grief disguised as comedy and therapy disguised as combat. An uplifting short film about healing, creativity and the small acts that keep us human.
The original score by Ruben Fox, a leading voice in the UK and US jazz scene, was recorded live to picture with an eight-piece band.
Trailer
About the directors
Alexander Kiehl - Alex Kiehl is a BAFTA, Grierson and multi-award nominated documentary filmmaker. He loves telling incredible human stories with emotion, scale, humour and intimacy. Recently he’s followed the first woman from Latin America to search for Cleopatra's tomb; explored the largest machine humans have ever built at CERN; and created a beautiful portrait of a jazz-dancing Olympic coach who believes wrestling might just save the world.
His films have reached huge global audiences on Disney+, Netflix and the BBC. They've also screened at film festivals like CPH DOX. His latest films are THE PEACE PARTICLE for ARTE and BBC, CLEOPATRA'S FINAL SECRET for National Geographic.
Misha Novak - Misha Novak is an emerging filmmaker and visual artist. He recently showcased his skills as a writer on Tamara Kotevska’s “The Tale of Silyan”, which premiered at Venice Film Festival. Also worked as camera on the Netflix documentary "Mark Cavendish: Never Enough, which explores the intricate life of the iconic cyclist. Misha is currently directing a documentary that investigates the complex football culture in post-war Cyprus, particularly its impact on African players navigating this fragmented landscape. His work not only highlights underrepresented communities but also probes deep social issues, positioning him as a promising talent in the international documentary film scene.
Filmmakers' note
GRAPPLING GRACE shifts between observational documentary and cinematic dance and wrestling sequences. The rhythm of the edit is playful and varied to capture the emotion of the story and personality of our main contributor.
The original score by Ruben Fox, a leading voice in the UK and US jazz scene, was recorded live to picture with an eight-piece band.
Saeed Esmaeli was born in Iran and escaped during the revolution. He grew up in Bristol, England. His father was a legendary wrestler and set up a gym where he trained his sons to be Olympic champions. But Saeed had a secret dream.
Since he was a boy all he wanted to do was dance. He secretly practiced pirouettes in his bedroom and dreamed of becoming a professional dancer. They nicknamed him the Iranian Billy Elliot.
Now, years after his father’s death Saeed has brought the two passions together and created something bizarre and revolutionary: a wrestling-dance based therapy collective for the marginalised, the broken and the beautiful misfits of society.
He calls it Wrestle For Humanity. He offers classes for refugees, offenders, people with disabilities and neurodivergence. Working with touch, rhythm, balance and body slams to help heal and play.
We follow his work with David, who woke from a coma to discover he’d lost his legs. And Greggy, a neurodivergent nine year old who found physical contact unbearable until he discovered Saeed’s classes.
When Saeed’s mother Mahin suffers a stroke Saeed faces the biggest challenge of his life. With the cost of care spiralling their home is threatened. Saeed helps Mahin stand and move again.
Saeed’s revolutionary work with Wrestle For Humanity has been recognised by an honorary doctorate, a letter from the British Prime Minister and an award from King Charles.
GRAPPLING GRACE is an uplifting and surprising short film about healing and creativity.