By Katherine Monahan

Boxing is a sport dear to the hearts of Panamanians, who still think of local legend Roberto "Manos de Piedra" ("Hands of Stone")  Duran as one of the gods of  the pantheon.

So it’s hardly surprising that the upcoming International Film Festival (IFF) April 26 – May 2, will be presenting  a cornucopia of  movies dealing with the ancient sport.

Duran, regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time with 70 wins by knockout, is the primary subject of  “Fists of a Nation.” The documentary from director Pituka Ortega Heilbron offers a rare look at five decades of local history as it follows Duran’s explosive career.

Six-time world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, considered the greatest fighter to ever come out of Mexico, is the subject of director Diego Luna’s documentary “J.C. Chavez.”   

Also featured are “Girlfight,” an independent film about females in boxing; the Chilean film “My Last Round,” which is a love story between a boxer and a chef; and if you have never seen the American classic “Raging Bull,” starring a young Robert DeNiro, now’s your chance.

“Sports films appeal to the audience, because they move very deep fibers within each person,” say IFF directors Henk Van Der Kolk and Pituka Ortega Heilbron.

Tickets go on sale to the public April 13 at the Cinemark Multiplex, for movies, and at  the National Theater, for red carpet galas.

During the weeks leading up to the week-long  Festival, Newsroom will be publishing previews of the movies . If you wish to check out previous previews, go to  the search box on the home page and type in IFF.