Split Decision

Split Decision is filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler's cautionary examination of Cuban-American relations since Fidel Castro's revolution through the lens of Cuban boxers stuck between remaining in Cuba and defecting to America. The film uses personal stories and interviews with the world's most famous Cuban boxers and Cuban international authorities.[1]The film also features interviews with award-winning authors on Cuba, such as Pulitzer Prize winner Steve Fainaru, S.L. Price of Sports Illustrated and the Miami Herald, National Book Award winner Carlos Eire, and Vanity Fair feature columnist Ann Louise Bardach.

Filmmaker and amateur boxer Brin-Jonathan Butler starts training at a small gym in Havana, Cuba under a coach named Hector. Brin soon discovers that Hector is two-time Olympic gold medalist and boxing superstar Hector Vinent, who lived in Havana and was hired out for private training at $6 per day. Through Vinent, Brin is introduced to Cuba's boxing elite, including a champion widely known as the world's greatest living boxer—Guillermo Rigondeaux, also known as "El Chacal" (the Jackal). Rigondeaux was a rising star in Cuba whose career was interrupted by a failed defection attempt in 2007. In mid-2007, in response to the defection attempt, Fidel Castro branded Rigondeaux a traitor and forbid him from competing. However, Rigondeaux later able to defect to the United States in 2009.

Rigondeaux would go on to win the unified WBA (Super), WBO and Ring magazine super bantamweight, and the WBA (Regular) bantamweight titles after starting a professional boxing career in the United States. Despite his winning streak, Rigondeaux remained largely isolated in America. He left his family in Cuba, including his mother (who since died), his wife, and his child; he also left his friends and his peers and a familiar social system and way of life. He is not allowed to return to his homeland due to his defection and is essentially shipwrecked in his search for the American Dream. His story sharply contrasts to those of his predecessors, such as Cuban boxers like Teofilo Stevenson and Felix Savon who turned down tens of millions of dollars to remain in Cuba instead of defecting to America.

As the film progresses, Brin is drawn in by Rigondeaux's story, and he begins a journey into the heart of Cuban boxing, examining a central question: why would some Cuban Olympic gold medal-winning boxers defect for money, while others reject money to stay in Cuba?