“Protect Them” by David Gross

Documentary

Sep 2

Protect Them is an experimental portrait of a father doing what he can to empower his daughters.

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Protect Them’ is a film born out of hours of conversation with Roger Mamedov over the course of a few years. Roger is the owner and lead instructor at Williamsburg MMA, and also my friend. I met Roger when I walked into his studio for the first time five years ago to start training jiu jitsu. He opened up his home and studio to me while filming this project throughout a period of time that saw a pandemic, the mandatory shut down of his business as well as his daughter’s unexpected health scare. Throughout all of it he seemed to maintain a resilience and calm that was inspiring.

Today his business is thriving and his family is healthy. We talked a lot of what it meant to be a father and the more we spoke the more I understood that what he was teaching on the mats was making me a better father, husband and employee not just a better jiu jitsu player.

The voices of his teachers and the great teachers across the jiu jitsu world have influenced the film as well. I hope this project will reflect the immense sense of gratitude I have been given as a result of being part of that world and possibly offer a bit of inspiration for someone who might be searching for a way to access their own sense of calmness, stability and confidence in their own life.

- David Gross