That amazing night in 2009 was a fundraising screening of Facing Ali, a documentary about 12 of Ali’s opponents, and how fighting The Greatest of All Time changed their lives. Aleks and I both managed to wrangle jobs at the event; I helping to move folks through the photo room as they had pictures taken with The Champ, and Aleks, all six feet six inches of him, stood by the door as “security.” I was also sent out to get Ali popcorn and iced tea, and I found him a stool to put under his feet to help him be more comfortable. Then we sat directly behind Ali and his wife, Loni, while the film screened. Ali was a hero to many of us growing up, and to be able to not only meet him, but to take care of him a bit, to give back to him, was a thrilling, mind-blowing experience.
It’s sad thing to see some of these great warriors affected so adversely by the sport they dedicated their lives to. But if you asked them if they’d change anything, they’d say no. Fighters fight. As Ali’s nurse said to me and Aleks, as we walked them to their awaiting limo at the end of the night, “don’t feel sorry for him, he’s happy.”
GANJY'S FUTURE
We are thrilled to announce that Ganjy will be making its world premiere at the 2016 Vancouver International Film Festival. The film is now being submitted to other festivals worldwide and being developed into a feature length film. If we exceed our initial goal, 50% of any additional funds will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Centre, and the remaining funds will help cover the cost of us representing and promoting Ganjy at film festivals. Keep an eye on this campaign page and our Facebook (www.facebook.com/Ganjymovie) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ganjymovie) for more updates.
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We paid for the entire production ourselves. The entire cast and crew worked for deferred wages – and now we’re hoping to raise enough dough to pay these fine folks a small fee for their work, as well as covering our production, post production, and promotional fees. We don’t plan on making a profit on this crowd sourcing venture, just to break even and get the film out to the world.
We’re fighting to win here, folks. We need you in our corner!
The Team
BEN RATNER - Executive Producer, Director, Writer, Lead Actor
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With over 100 film and TV credits, multiple award-winning actor/writer/director/producer Ben Ratner has starred in numerous feature films that have played at top international film festivals, including Sundance, Berlin and Toronto, and has had series regular, recurring and guest starring roles on TV shows in both the US and Canada. He will next be seen in a supporting lead role with Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay (Room) in Wonder, a feature film from Lionsgate, slated for release in April 2017.
As a writer-director, Ratner has helmed two award-winning, theatrically released feature films: Down River (9 wins and 12 nominations, including Best World Showcase Feature at the 2014 Soho International Film Festival, NYC) and Moving Malcolm (4 wins and 1 nomination, including Best Feature Film at the 2003 Washington D.C. Independent Film Festival). He also wrote and directed the short film Power Lunch (2006 Vancouver International Film Festival) and in 2005, directed an episode of the popular TV series Robson Arms for CTV. His latest film is a short called, Ganjy, a hard-hitting drama written and directed by Ratner. Ganjy tells the dark yet hopeful story of a former boxer (portrayed by Ratner) struggling with dementia pugilistica.
Like his Ganjy castmates, Ratner was an amateur boxer, winning a gold medal in the 1981 BC Winter Games and competing in the 1982 Canadian Jr. Championships.
ALEKS PAUNOVIC - Executive Producer, Actor
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Aleks Paunovic started his professional acting career while partaking in his two other passions, boxing and music. While on stage playing in a rock band, Aleks was asked to audition for an HBO project. After getting his first job, on his first audition, the acting bug bit him... hard!
Paunovic is currently filming “Van Helsing” for the SyFy network and has completed filming “War for the Planet of the Apes” for 20th Century Fox and director Matt Reeves. Additionally, Paunovic recently starred in and co-produced the indie feature, “Numb.” Other recent film credits include: “Blackway,” opposite Anthony Hopkins, “Vendetta,” and “Badge of Honor” with Martin Sheen.
Paunovic has been seen in numerous highly acclaimed science fiction television shows including “iZombie,” “The 100,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Stargate Atlantis,” “Supernatural,” and “Smallville.” He also had a memorable cameo opposite Tom Hardy in the comedy “This Means War” and appeared in “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.”
One of Paunovic’s most acclaimed performances was in “Personal Effects” alongside Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfieffer, and Kathy Bates. In the film he played a developmentally disabled man put on trial for the murder of Ashton Kutcher’s character's sister. Aleks had to put on 65 pounds of 'pizza and ice cream' for this role!
ZAK SANTIAGO - Actor
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Zak Santiago is a multicultural powerhouse with family ties ranging from Spain and Ireland to Bangladesh. A modern day renaissance man, Zak is a Golden Gloves winning boxer, popular night club DJ, classically trained musician, flamenco dancer, and of course, a talented actor.
Among his credits is a series lead on the N series The Assistants, a series regular on the popular Canadian series Robson Arms, a series regular in the NBC/PAX series Young Blades and many Recurring and Guest Starring roles in episodic television and Cable Features including SyFy’s Continuum, The CW’s The 100 and the Hallmark series, Signed, Sealed and Delivered.
He won a Leo Award for best supporting actor in the lauded Human Cargo, and was a Leo Award Nominee for best supporting Actor on Young Blades and was nominated as a producer for the feature film, Random Acts of Romance in which he also played a leading role.
Zak is one of Canada’s most in demand leading men with his combination of raw talent, handsome Latin looks and bad-boy edge.
DONNY LUCAS - Actor
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Donny Lucas, a Montreal native, and graduate drama major, has over thirty years experience in film, tv, theatre, and voice over.
A Vancouver resident for the past twenty four years, Donny has continued to hone his craft in ‘Hollywood North’.
As a former amateur boxer and as an actor, working with this cast and crew on this story was a fantastic experience.
Currently Donny has a recurring role on ‘Wayward Pines’, and performs the lead voice of ‘Boog’ in the recently released ‘Open Season 4 Scared Silly', animated feature.
TONY PANTAGES - Producer
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Canadian filmmaker, actor & visual artist Tony Pantages is best known for his feature film 3 Days in Havana, co written and directed with Gil Bellows. Mr Pantages is even better known for the hit music videos he directed for INXS, Sarah MacLachlan, Our Lady Peace, 54•40 and dozens of great artists. Although best known for those two things, Tony Pantages is even way better known as the actor who gets to work with greats like Johnny Depp, Richard Dreyfuss, Harry Dean Stanton and Charlie Sheen. Tony is penultimately known as a visual artist, creating live visual sets at some of the biggest music events in the world including Coachella, Digital Dreams, Ultra Miami, DXB Dubai, Squamish and Pemberton. Tony has toured with Deadmau5 internationally. Then again, he’s also known as a photographer but that’s another story.
HELENA MARIE - Associate Producer
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Helena's most recent on screen credits include Supernatural, A Wife's Suspicion, and First Response. In 2013 she co-founded What's On Tap Productions and produced, co-wrote, and starred in CRAZY LOVE, the production company's first film, which premiered at the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival in February of 2015. The film took home 4 awards for Best Technical, Best Writing, Best Film, and Best Performance for Helena's portrayal of a woman suffering at the hands of her abusive boyfriend. The film also screened at the Montreal Fantasia Film Festival, the Toronto Blood in the Snow Fest, took home the prize of Best Short Film at the Montreal Actra Film Festival, and won Best Cinematography at the International Film Festival of Cinematic Arts in Beverly Hills, California.
In the spring of 2016 Helena landed her first supporting lead in the feature period Western called Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story, shooting her pistol alongside powerhouses Kim Coates, Judd Nelson and country-singer superstar Trace Adkins. The film is set to be released in November 2016.
