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A new movie hitting theaters this week starring Robert DeNiro tells the story of legendary boxer Roberto Duran, a true Panama City folk hero.

Duran fought his way out of the poor El Chorillo neighborhood of Panama City to become the greatest lightweight in the world. His epic battles with Sugar Ray Leonard, which resulted in his famous “no más” surrender in the second fight, are the stuff of legend.

The movie was also largely shot in Panama and uses a wide array of local talent from Latin America’s growing cinema community. Writer-director Jonathan Jakubowicz was having trouble getting the film made until he came to Panama, according to Variety.

“I moved to Panama without a dollar and raised $24 million,” Jakubowicz told the National Assn. of Latino Independent Producers summit in June.

The film was shot in 65 days at six different Panama locations and employed more than 15,000 extras and 350 crew members, Variety reports. The Panama government helped make the film happen by contributing $2.8 million in seed money and allowing the crew free use of a stadium for a month.

“This film would have cost $70 million to $80 million in the U.S., but we made it for only $24 million,” Jakubowicz says.

Duran is a controversial figure. He fell from grace in the wake of the Leonard debacle, but eventually recovered his reputation through years of tough fights. The film became a “source of national pride” for everyone involved, Jakubowicz says.

“The crew would clap after every scene,” Jakubowicz told Variety. “It was fun and emotional.”

‘Hands of Stone’  premieres this August 25th in Panama’s box office.

Here’s the trailer: