A new independent movie titled “Babyface”, which is based on wrestling and set in the United Kingdom, is scheduled (but not confirmed) to be completed by 2021. Below is a synopsis edited by myself, from a personally written statement forwarded to us by Taavi Peelo, the writer, director, producer, and lead actor of Babyface:
Synopsis
We want to show the wrestling business in a way people may not have seen before, but in a very respectable way. It’s not just a fictional story, as you will also see what wrestlers go through to entertain people. ‘Babyface’ has something for everyone; it’s an emotional roller coaster which will motivate you in many ways. It’s not about winning or losing. Work hard to be the best you can be. It’s an inspirational story about going after your dreams, even when it feels like the whole world is against you.
The story follows a young Estonian-born man (Johann, played by Taavi Peelo) who is still trying to find his place in the world. He feels like everything he does goes wrong. He comes from a legendary wrestling family, so the pressure of achieving greatness is all on him now. Johann’s father used to be one of the most popular wrestlers in the world, but sadly passed away when he was still very young.
One day, he decides to leave everything behind and move to England like his father did many years ago. Like his father, he enters the world of professional wrestling where everything becomes possible. You could be anything you want. Only the sky’s the limit. But soon enough, Johann realises it all comes with a price – Pain, tears, competition. He is not physically where your typical wrestler should be. He starts training, believing in himself, while still trying to understand what kind of person he really is. Training is extremely difficult, and Johann finds himself struggling a lot. He is put to the test in more ways than he could have ever imagined.
Johann finds himself a rival, who is currently the most dangerous wrestler in the country. Marik is feared for his ruthless wrestling style, but he is the one who brings in the money. He is the draw. Johann also meets a girl and falls in love, which he never thought would happen. Along the way, he meets his father’s old tag team partner, who is in the twilight of his career.
He also befriends Coach Manny, who with his tough personality, is regarded as one of the best wrestling trainers around. Manny is not someone who will mess around, he says what he thinks and his decisions are always final. While he’s all about business, he does have a soft spot for Johann because of his last name. However, Manny will not allow anyone to get in the way of his own prospects.
Behind The Camera
We are working together with the UKW (UK Wrestling) promotion on Babyface; which is one of the leading wrestling promotions in the United Kingdom. UKW is led by Jonathan Sedgwick, who has taken on the role of ‘Coach Manny’. Because this is a wrestling film. it’s very important for the actors to be prepared. Jonathan is helping the actors to become wrestlers. Actors (including myself) are going through the proper training in order to become a character on screen. In order to play a wrestler, you need to become a wrestler.
Personally, I have been training for months and the experience has been extraordinary. I have always been a huge wrestling fan, and now this whole new world has opened for me. It’s remarkable what is going on behind the scenes in the wrestling business. People only see the tip of the iceberg; they only see the results of their hard work. Trust me when I say it’s hard work. It really is.
Training is very difficult, and I would go as far to say it’s dangerous. Of course, wrestlers are extremely careful about not injuring themselves or others. There’s always a risk though, and personally I have been injured twice. The first time was when I injured my foot, which I thought was broken at the time as I could not walk. You get dizzy and all these other things. So I went to the emergency center to get x-rays done and thankfully nothing was broken.
I was out for quite a few weeks. The second injury happened when I had a real wrestling match, and I just fell badly on the side of my body; leaning towards my lower back. Again, I was out for weeks, and the pain was really bad. I didn’t get medical attention as I did not feel the injury was so serious. Every movement felt like I was getting stabbed, but it was just slightly torn muscle… so all I really needed was a good rest.
Social media & IMDB
Babyface Facebook page: facebook.com/BabyfaceTheMovie
Instagram: @Babyface_Movie
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11816066/
Main Cast & Crew
Johann Hunt — Taavi Peelo
Kara — Lucy Marshall
Coach Manny — Jonathan Sedqwick
Max Rode — Richard Pickard
Marik Azara — Mandeep Sehmi
Victor — Simon Quigley
Cinematography
Oliver Ibbotson
Music
Michael Holmes
Sound
Michael Holmes, Luke Harrison, Dylan Howell
Stunt Choreography
Jonathan Sedqwick
Writer/Director
Taavi Peelo
Images