A Boxer’s Greatest Victory Gives Way to a Far More Personal Battle

Press Conference, directed by Alexander Hilli, begins at the moment most sports dramas spend their entire runtime chasing: victory. A boxer has just won the biggest fight of his career and steps into a room filled with reporters expecting to celebrate the achievement. Instead, the questions begin pulling him somewhere far more private, gradually reframing what should have been the defining triumph of his life.

Set against a meticulously recreated 1970s boxing world, Press Conference trades physical confrontation for psychological tension, using its contained setting, non-linear structure, and understated performances to explore the uneasy distance between public success and private turmoil. Hilli turns the familiar spectacle of a post-fight media appearance into something much more intimate, examining how quickly an achievement can lose its meaning when the mind is fighting an entirely different battle.

Below, we speak with director Alexander Hilli about building suspense through conversation, recreating the atmosphere of 1970s sports journalism, and exploring the psychological side of a sport defined by physical conflict.

Press Conference takes place after the biggest victory of a boxer’s career, yet quickly shifts into something far more personal. What first inspired this story?

I wanted to explore the feeling of personal struggle during what is ultimately a very public moment of triumph. Personally, I had a couple of moments in my life where I lived something similar to the protagonist. I think, in one way or another, this is something everyone can relate to.

The film challenges the idea that success always brings happiness or closure. Was that contrast something you wanted to explore from the beginning?

This was probably the most important and the first theme around which I started building the boxer’s story. It was one of the main reasons I made the film: to capture the feeling where you should be on top of the world, but your head overtakes your achievement and starts to play with you. What I like about this is that you can apply it to any situation or dynamic and the outcome still stands—whether it’s a boss and an employee, a teacher and a student, or in our case, a coach and a fighter.

Much of the tension unfolds through conversation rather than action. How did you approach building suspense in such a contained setting?

This was only possible thanks to the combination of a wonderful cast, careful shot planning, and a soundtrack that we built specifically for this film. Thanks to the non-linear storytelling structure, we were able to jump back and forth between scenes and slowly uncover what is going on together with the protagonist. We used multiple tricks for this, from lighting and specific blocking to camera angles that reflect the psychological state of the protagonist.

The press conference itself becomes more than just a backdrop—it feels like a stage where public image and private truth collide. What drew you to that setting?

Thank you for this question. I’m so happy you asked it because not many people have picked up on this detail. It was, for me, one of the most important decisions I made for this film. I was searching for a situation where he would be the most vulnerable while being confronted, and that’s what gives the scene its weight. Because in a room full of reporters, suddenly everybody focuses on his personal relationship instead of his public persona, which we got a glimpse of in the beginning. From this, the audience understands the gravity of the situation and what it really does to him.

The film pays close attention to its environment, from the media presence to the surrounding details. How important was production design in creating that atmosphere?

We decided to emulate the ’70s look, so everything we did—from locations to set design, props, and costumes—was based on this. We found hundreds of actual photographs from sports events throughout the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, which became our look bible. For me, this is absolutely essential in every film, because if you can dress up a nice story in something that looks cool, that’s where the interesting stuff starts to happen.

I am lucky enough to have a great team of people around me that helps me tremendously—from set designers to costumes and makeup, everybody brought their best for this film and I think it shows. If you pay close attention to the crowd, you will see there is only one female in the press conference room—this came from studying old photos from the ’70s, where we couldn’t find any female sport reporters. Luckily, this has changed since then.

The performances carry much of the emotional weight. How did you work with your cast to maintain authenticity as the story gradually shifts in tone?

I am extremely lucky to work with a great and talented cast. Every performance was spot on. We had one day of rehearsals, which gave us time to explore different angles and motivations of the characters. But ultimately, when you have a cast this good, they feed off each other and elevate each other. So for me, I was there as an audience member, guiding them through the scenes from that perspective.

Boxing is often associated with physical battles, but Press Conference is ultimately about an emotional one. What interested you in exploring that side of the sport?

Because fighters are so physical and judged by their achievements in the ring, I think we don’t often consider what’s going on in their heads. You have to be really obsessed with the sport to compete at the top level. For me, it is interesting to explore what this obsession might do to your head—how the tunnel vision you need as a fighter might affect your relationships or even your perception of what’s going on around you.

Without giving too much away, the film asks viewers to reconsider everything they’ve just witnessed. How did you approach revealing that turning point while preserving the suspense?

It’s all about what’s on the page. I try to write a version that I am happy with from start to finish and then go back and add small bits and pieces to subtly hint some things to the audience. If your second viewing of the film feels different from the first one, then I was successful.

What are the books, podcasts, or even YouTube channels that you recommend young filmmakers to get their hands on?

For young filmmakers—apart from the classics like Save the Cat! and Mamet’s On Directing Film—I would encourage everybody to read Bukowski’s Hollywood and Hellraisers by Sellers. It doesn’t have much to do with technical things, but it will give you an idea of what a filmmaker’s life might look like. Hope you won’t quit after.

Can you share with us some of your favorite short films you’ve seen lately?

The one that immediately stands out is for sure: HOTARU by William Laboury. It’s an absolutely beautiful short, almost 10 years old now, but it still holds up.