The film follows the real-life story of Ramla Ali, the first Somali-British professional boxing champion.

Production got underway this week (w/c 5 August) in east London on In The Shadows, with Top Boy star Jasmine Jobson playing boxer Ramla Ali; the cast includes Finn Cole and Gershwyn Eustache Jr. It is produced by Lee Magiday and Madeleine Sanderson, with Ali and her husband Richard Moore on board as executive producers.

In The Shadows marks the directorial feature debut of documentary filmmaker Anthony Wonke, calling the shots from a screenplay by Ursula Rani Sarma. Award-winning Christopher Aoun is the cinematographer; Kharmel Cochrane is the casting director.

The film is executive produced by Zygi Kamasa for True Brit Entertainment, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson and Mike Runagall for Altitude, Anushka Shah for Civic Studios, Richard Fearn and Jane Reid Fearn at Affine Films, Natasha Mudhar for The World We Want Studios, Anne Sheehan, Ali and Moore.

The biopic chronicles Ali’s journey to success from growing up in a strict Muslim family in the East End to her breaking though cultural stereotypes and achieving landmark boxing titles and worldwide recognition, including being named one of TIME magazine’s 2023 Women of the Year.

Jobson said of her lead role: “It’s a complete honour to take on the role of Ramla and to be trusted to help share her incredible story. Not only to celebrate her talent, strength, and determination as a boundary-breaking athlete – but also as an incredibly inspirational Somali woman who has overcome huge adversity. Her experience of arriving in the U.K. as a refugee is important and has the power to educate and empower people at a time of so much division. I’m thrilled to get started.”

Ali added: “I, along with everyone else, fell in love with Jasmine after seeing her incredible performance as Jaq in Top Boy. She understands more than anyone the true experience of growing up in London and fighting for yourself and your place in this world. She brings with her an incredible amount of authenticity, rawness, and real emotion that can’t be taught. I couldn’t be more excited to see her embody me on the screen.”