“Catch the Fair One” is a beautiful portrait of being completely knocked down and finding the strength to get back up. Kali Reis—a boxing champion in real life—plays a former boxing champion named Kaylee. She gets knocked down at the height of her career when her sister disappears. This thriller picks up two years later as she searches for her missing sister in a human trafficking ring.
The film, directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka, also incorporates many elements of the true-life aspect of missing Indigenous women, and helps shed light on that major issue through this narrative.
“Catch the Fair One” recently had its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday, June 13. I spoke with writer/director Josef Kubota Wladyka, as well as lead actress Kali Reis. This was Reis’ first starring role, and she also worked on the story with Josef and has story by credit.
In the conversation, Kali talks about bringing the same intensity and work ethic that she does with boxing to her acting. We also discuss what it was like for Josef and Kali workshopping the story together. We touch on a song called “Grandma Easter’s Lullaby” and Kali singing that for the film. With that, they remember sound recordist Mike Wolf Snyder. There’s more, too, like ensuring that this isn’t a boxing film despite Kali Reis being a championship boxer playing a boxer.
You can check out that conversation directly below or click on the link above to watch the conversation on YouTube.
“Catch the Fair One” is now playing on Tribeca at Home, available here, through June 23.
