Fight Like a Girl, a new boxing drama set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, delivers a powerful and heart-wrenching story rooted in real-life horrors. Directed by American filmmaker Matthew Leutwyler, the film stars South African actor Ama Qamata as Safi, a teenage survivor of sexual violence who escapes slave-like conditions in a mineral mine and ends up homeless on the streets of Goma.
The film's authenticity is striking, with footage of street life in Goma that feels raw and real, likely filmed on location. Flashbacks reveal Safi's happy childhood and the origins of her formidable right hook. Her journey intersects with real-life boxing coach Balezi 'Kibimango' Bagunda, played by Hakeem Kae-Kazim, a former child soldier who trains a team of female fighters.
While the script follows familiar boxing movie tropes, the emotional weight comes from the cast, many of whom have lived through wartime atrocities. Boxer Clarck Ntambwe, the film's inspiration, plays star fighter Aisha. A devastating twist in the end credits reveals that Kibomango was killed in 2025 while evacuating children from an orphanage.
