Heart of the Fight is a film portrait of Aboriginal pastor Richard Phillips, aka Dick Blair, Australian middleweight champion and the inspiration behind The Block in Redfern.

Dickie Blair was one of the last in his league, a cane cutter from the north who came to Sydney during a pivotal time in the history of Indigenous Australia and became a great boxer, a Christian leader and a great father. Arriving in Redfern in the late ’60s against the backdrop of the referendum and the new wave of the Aboriginal rights movement, Richard was already a fighter inside and outside the ring.

Produced & Directed by Mark Taylor & Byron Arellano

Executive Producer S.Shakthidaran

Production Assistants:  Chris Alexander, Kyle White, Jerome Mundine

Sound Recording: Saif Jari, Chris Alexander

Cinematography: Mark Taylor, Guido Gonzalez, S.Shakthidaran

Editor: Mark Taylor

Sound Mix: Marcus Longfoot

Full Circle Audio Research & Script: Mark Taylor

Motion Graphics: Davor Opacek, Mark Taylor

Filmed on location in Redfern, Redfern Community Centre, Elouera Tony Mundine Gym, The Settlement, Chippendale

Archival material courtesy of Margaret Anne Smith, The Phillips Family, Elaine Kitchener, Jim Brown, National Film Sound Archive State Library NSW

Music:

‘Bring It on Home to Me’ Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee from the album ‘Sonny & Terry’ © 1973 A&M Records – Recordings courtesy of Archive.org

‘Wayward Dreams’ Roger Knox, from the album ‘Stranger in my Land’ © 2013 Bloodshot Records. Recordings courtesy of Nan Warshaw

‘Brisbane Blacks’ Roger Knox, from the album ‘Stranger in my Land’ © 2013 Bloodshot Records. Recordings courtesy of Nan Warshaw

‘World Turning’ Yothu Yindi, from the album ‘Freedom’ ©  (1993) Mushroom Records.

Supports

Filmed on location in Redfern, Redfern Community Centre, Elouera Tony Mundine Gym, The Settlement, Chippendale

Archival material courtesy of Margaret Anne Smith, The Phillips Family, Elaine Kitchener, Jim Brown, National Film Sound Archive State Library NSW

Special thanks to Richard Phillips, Yvonne Phillips, Cecil Phillips, Shane Phillips, Lyall Munro, Tony Mundine, Mick Mundine, Terry Hoskins, Jim Brown, Uncle Chicka Madden, Isaac Phillips, Brandon Phillips, Mark Spinks, Wally Car.

Additional thanks to Nicolette Dixon, Roger Knox, Nan Warshaw (BloodShot Records), Preston Peachy ,City of Sydney, John Janson-Moore, Margaret Anne Smith, Davor Opacek

Special dedicated thanks to Margaret Anne Smith for her contributions to this film and her dedication to Australian Independent filmmaking.

This film has been made with the generous support of the Wales Foundation and Arts Support and the Australia Council for the Arts. Just as importantly, the project was developed in collaboration with a number of families from ‘The Block’ over three years.