In Conversation with Julia Weisberg Cortés: Inside Boyfighter and the Stories That Shape Us

In this episode, we sit down with Mexican-American filmmaker Julia Weisberg Cortés to talk about her powerful Oscar®-qualifying short film, Boyfighter, starring Michael Mando (Spider-Man: Brand New Day). We dive into the emotional and creative journey behind the film, which follows a retired bare-knuckle Latino fighter forced to confront the legacy of violence and pain he has passed down to his son.Julia opens up about exploring themes of toxic masculinity, generational trauma, and redemption, as well as the responsibility of telling deeply human stories rooted in the Latin experience. From casting to visual language, she shares how Boyfighter captures the fragile beauty that can exist even in the harshest realities — and what it means to bring this story to life during awards season.