Fighter 2007

A young woman's furious passion for martial arts takes centre stage in this high-energy drama set in Copenhagen. Real-life kung fu champ Semra Turan stars as Aicha, the feisty daughter of traditional Turkish immigrants, who has a tough time convincing anyone - least of all her fight team - that she could be a contender. Unable to control her rage on the mat, and banned from fighting by her patriarchal family, Aicha leads a triple life, running between home, school and an elite fight club run by a strict Chinese shifu (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon choreographer Gao Xian), who secretly admires her spunk. Then there is her dashing training partner Emil, who wants to take things further than her strict Muslim values will allow. The rise of the underdog is a familiar tale, but Fighter crosses genres with agility to provide gripping family drama and even a fresh spin on cross-cultural romance. — BZ