The latest project of well-known South African film director, Koos Roets, will be a biopic of the legendary boxer, Gerrie Coetzee. He is working with the widow of another boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, to get the film “Against All Odds” to the silver screen.
Dr Khalilah Comacho Ali was the boxer’s second of four wives.
Director Koos Roets hosted Khalilah Ali, Producer Kenddrie Utuk and film distributor Mohamed Khan at his hometown of Klaarstroom, to network and enjoy the sights of the Little Karoo.
Last week, the team was in Cape Town for the launch of the film “Against All Odds”.
COVID-19 stopped the project in its tracks two years ago, but it’s all systems go now. The American group is in the country to finalise logistics and secure venues.
Roets says Dr Ali is playing a major role in ensuring the film’s success.
“Kenddrie Utuk, who is the American film producer, didn’t sit still; he got contacts, and somebody said to him, speak to Mohammed Ali’s wife, and he said how will he ever get through to her and eventually he did and she just opened the whole world. She got us this other gentleman Mohammad khan, a very good distributor of films in America. The big thing is you can make a movie, that is not the most difficult thing, properly distributing is the big thing.”
The film will focus more on Gerrie’s Coetzee’s life outside of the boxing ring. And also the struggles he had to overcome in his personal life. Dr Ali says her former husband and Coetzee found mutual respect for each other, in their stances against racism and apartheid.
“It was a great relationship. Gerrie Coetzee was talking to me about his times with Mohammed and I was listening to him and remember Mohammed talking to this humble man. That’s what Mohammed called him, the humble fighter. That connection of Gerrie talking about Mohammed when he went to his room in the hotel you could see the love in his eyes when he talked about Mohammed and Mohammed did the same thing. He had compassion for Gerrie many years ago.”
South African mixed martial arts fighter, Dricus du Plessis, is set to play the role of Coetzee. Filming is expected to start later this year.
