In his photography book and documentary film Beauty of the Fight, photographer and director John Urbano explores, with both intimate and devastating imagery, the effects of historic realities on two Panama barrios. Barraza and El Chorrillo suffered heavy losses when US forces invaded in 1989 in order to capture General Manuel Noriega, and now this “interim” shantytown nears extinction due to recent outside private and commercial development.

With deft camera-work—and under military police protection while entering the “red zone”—the filmmaker renders for posterity not only the daily struggle but also the dignity, joy, and heightened awareness of its residents. Boxers, cock fighters, gang bangers, street urchins, small business owners, family members, community leaders, and visionaries detail the day to day plight to hold on to homes and endure the loss of loved ones due to street conflicts while they also express the inevitable hopes of all peoples who fall victim to unconscious political and economic forces.

Already a favorite at 18 international festivals, the film give voice to the people of this neighborhood, and also explores the vagaries of documenting a community destined to slip into the past.