Producers Self-Release British Boxing Biopic ‘In the Shadows’ After Distributor Collapse

Producers Lee Magiday and Madeleine Sanderson have orchestrated a last-minute theatrical release for the British boxing biopic “In the Shadows” after original UK distributor True Brit Entertainment entered administration in late September.

The film, which chronicles the life of Ramla Ali, a Somali-British boxer and UNICEF Ambassador, is set to bypass traditional distribution channels. Instead, it will be self-released across more than 30 UK cinemas. The strategy was made possible through additional capital injected by the film’s financiers following the distributor’s collapse.

“We had to mobilize very quickly — it really was the 11th hour,” Magiday said. The producers discovered in mid-September that funds for prints and advertising were no longer available. They immediately approached their executive producers, who agreed to provide the necessary financial backing to save the project.

Following its world premiere at the London Film Festival on October 9, the film will open with a special screening and Q&A at London’s Genesis Cinema on October 30. Ali is scheduled to attend, appearing near the location where the movie was filmed. Her appearance will coincide with a world title fight she is set to compete in on November 8 in the United States, after which she plans to return for further event screenings.

Magiday and Sanderson credited executive producers Richard Fern, Anushka Shah, and Natasha Mudhar for their crucial financial support. They also acknowledged Will Clarke at Altitude Films, which handles global sales, for connecting them with Ben Metcalf at Metis Films. Metis will handle the physical distribution, while former True Brit executive Kate Neville-Towle is managing marketing efforts.

“It’s really nice because a lot of people really love the film, love Ramla and love what we’re doing — so it’s a bit like a community,” Sanderson said. “We’ve got our team.”

Starring Jasmine Jobson from “Top Boy” and directed by Anthony Wonke, “In the Shadows” details Ali’s journey as a refugee who secretly took up boxing against the wishes of her strict Muslim parents. The narrative also explores her romance with Richard Moore, who converted to Islam, and highlights her historic achievements, including becoming the first boxer to represent Somalia at the 2020 Olympics and headlining the first professional female boxing match in Saudi Arabia.

Magiday drew parallels between the film’s themes and its production history, noting that the project faced significant hurdles from the start. “This film has been a battle from day one and Ramla’s story has been a battle from day one,” she said. “We’ve had to kind of fight the odds the whole time because we didn’t get industry support for production.”