Fight Like a Girl: Authentic Setting Elevates Powerful DRC Boxing Drama

An underdog boxing movie set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo draws on a harrowing true story of sexual violence and resilience, anchored by a compelling performance from South African actor Ama Qamata. Directed by American filmmaker Matthew Leutwyler, the film follows a teenage victim of widespread gender-based violence who is found living on the streets of Goma by a boxing coach. Leutwyler’s steady direction crafts an earnest drama that confronts the horror of wartime atrocities while focusing on the strength and determination of women and girls.

Qamata plays Safi, a teenager who escapes slave-like labor in a mineral mine and arrives barefoot in Goma, sleeping on a curb amid thugs and glue-sniffing youths. The gritty realism suggests location filming rather than studio sets, and flashbacks reveal Safi’s happy childhood and the origin of her powerful right hook.

Safi meets real-life boxing coach Balezi “Kibimango” Bagunda, portrayed by Hakeem Kae-Kazim, a former child soldier turned boxer who now trains a team of female fighters. The script follows many boxing movie conventions as Safi trains at Kibimango’s gym, where star fighter Aisha—played by boxer Clarck Ntambwe, the film’s inspiration—serves as a role model. Despite formulaic moments, the performances from a cast with lived experience of wartime atrocities deliver emotional weight.

A devastating twist appears in the end credits: Kibomango was killed in 2025 while evacuating children from a local orphanage, adding a poignant layer to the narrative.

Fight Like a Girl opens in UK cinemas on May 22.