NARROWSBURG - Friday morning, the Film Festival in its dedication to women in film, showed three movies. "Shadow Boxers" is about a woman boxer, "Mulligans!," a suburbanite, and "Kalin's Prayer," a model addicted to crack. "Shadow Boxers" won the festival's Best Documentary award.

"Shadow Boxers" (2000, dir. Katya Bankowsky, 74 min)

Lucia Rijker is a boxing champion. That she is a woman seems less remarkable than that she can fight like a dream. We listen to the comments of the trainers, some of them retired champions ("boxing is a hurting game") and of Lucia herself ("you have to get out in time, before you slow down.") We are made aware of how briefly the boxer can be in prime condition and of the difference between wanting to win and needing to dominate. There is surprisingly little about what you would think is the biggest impediment in this male dominated sport-sexism-and more about the dangers to your health. Lucia chants to keep her spirit centered, her whole being focused on her quest: "When you accomplish something, it gives you a certain power." She is wonderful company, and this film is a jewel.