How a German nurse went 150 rounds for a Rocky film fest
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Someone really loves the champ. Photo: Courtesy of Martina Philippi
There's a woman in Germany who may just love Rocky more than Philly loves Rocky — and that's saying a lot, because we have a whole festival dedicated to his hard-punching ways.
Why it matters: While Philly goes 12 rounds for the iconic film's 50th anniversary, Martina Philippi overcame more knockdowns than the champ to organize a Rocky film marathon happening this weekend in Arnsberg, Germany.
Driving the news: Independent theater Apollo Kino is showing all six films in the original Rocky series over 14 hours starting Saturday morning.
- More than 120 fans from across Germany are expected to attend.
Meanwhile, more than 3,700 miles away in Philly, about 40,000 people will take part in this year's Rocky Run on the same day — part of a monthslong slate of events leading up to Rocky Day on Dec. 3.
Zoom in: After watching the first film as a 7-year-old girl, Philippi developed a lifelong fascination with Philly's patron saint.
- Decades later, the 52-year-old geriatric nurse from Hamm, Germany, searched for an anniversary event in her area but couldn't find one.
- So she came up with an off-the-wall idea: Why not organize her own?
Between the rounds: This isn't a couple of fans with DVDs gathered around a projector in someone's backyard.
- The event took months of planning and persistence after nearly 150 theaters rejected Philippi's concept as too financially risky and niche to attract a broader audience.
Reality check: Those theaters must not have heard about the pilgrims who flock from around the world to the Rocky steps, carrying hopes and dreams for their families — journeys that inspired local journalist Mike Vitez's book "Rocky Stories."
Yes, but: Then Philippi remembered attending a Rambo movie night years ago at the Apollo Kino.
- She called the owner, who was as enthusiastic as Rocky's trainer, Mickey, about hosting the film marathon.
What they're saying: This endeavor was "unfamiliar territory," Philippi tells Axios over email, since she's most at ease treating elderly patients.
- But she quickly learned the ins and outs of event planning — from tracking down film distributors to navigating licensing issues.
- "Two very different Rocky marathons on opposite sides of the Atlantic," Philippi says. "This is not a commercial project for us. It is a passion project."
The bottom line: Philippi's Rocky journey doesn't end with the marathon. She's coming to Philly later this month to continue celebrating the famed boxer.
- The city has "become much more than simply the place where Rocky was filmed," she says. "Philadelphia is where Rocky's heart beats."