„Tough Moves“ is a short documentary directed by Jakob Michal and produced by Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. The film follows 13-year-old chessboxer Arminius Rolle and his family as they prepare for the German Chessboxing Championship. It was shot in February 2024 and premiered at the 18th Short Film Festival Cologne. Since then, it has been in competition at FIPADOC in France and has been invited to several other renowned festivals, including the Oscar®-qualifying IN THE PALACE Short Film Festival in Bulgaria and Sehsüchte in Germany. Most recently, “Tough Moves” was included on the longlist for the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards. I’m happy to provide a screening link upon request.
Director’s statement
At first, “chessboxing” sounded a little bit funny to me. I play chess with my friends from time to time and couldn’t see any of us ever landing a punch if we tried. None of the boxers I knew seemed to be that much into board games, either. But when I met Arminius and his father Robert, I quickly realised that they weren’t joking. There was an intense dynamic between the two of them and the training seemed very tough, especially for a 13-year-old.
Arminius reminded me of my own past as an athlete and how difficult it was for me to cope with the high expectations of my coaches. I wanted to capture the pressure and fear of losing that children often face in competitive sports. As we followed Arminius and Robert into their home, their relationship revealed itself to be complex and multi-layered. We got to know a warm-hearted, sports-mad family who stand behind Arminius and want the best for him. Robert wasn’t just a strict coach but also a loving father who Arminius looks up to. I hope that the film does justice to the ambivalence of these roles.
We only had five days to shoot, so we knew we had to find a moment that would reveal something essential about Arminius and his world. The German chessboxing championships became that moment – a test of everything he had trained for, and a chance to observe how the pressure affected not just him, but the whole family. In the days leading up to the fight, tensions rose, routines intensified, and emotions surfaced. For us, the competition wasn’t just a sporting event – it was the lens through which we could explore ambition, fear, pride, and love.
| Director | Jakob Michal |
| DoP | Suzanne de Carrasco |
| Producers | Lisa Brandel |
| Adrian Ide | |
| Dramaturgy | Elsa Hoffmann |
| Sound | Gerrit Schrepel |
| Music | Matias Santos |
| Editing | Kaspar Haußig |
| Jakob Michal | |
| Production | Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF |
