In the Shadows: One the red carpet with the cast and creatives at London Film Festival 2026

A story of secrecy, resilience and boxing, In the Shadows follows the rise of Olympic boxer Ramla Ali. A refugee from Somalia, Ramla, along with the rest of her family, tries to build a life in London. Bullied at school, Ramla finds her passion in boxing, but traditions and perceptions of her family – especially the constraints placed on women – lead her to train and box in secret. Typical of sports biopics, where the heroine overcomes greater odds through sheer determination and skill, this piece, directed by documentarian Anthony Wonke and penned by playwright Ursula Rani Sarma, explores not just Ramla’s boxing journey but also captivates with touches of romance and family drama.

The Upcoming caught up with some of the creatives and cast to discuss working on the movie, starting with director Wonke, who swiftly dove into an introduction to his picture, including a peek at the themes that it covers: migration and interracial marriage, amongst other things. He also spoke of the challenges he faced in directing the film, as well as how he used his documentary background to his advantage. Wonke sang praise for lead star Jasmine Jobson’s performance in capturing the nuances of Ramla.

Writer Sarma talked about initially coming into contact with Ramla’s story through Wonke, the eight years it took to make the feature, and the importance of platforming diversity on screen. She also emphasised keeping the story grounded, specifically the ordinary moments with family, and allowing the emotions to permeate those scenes in the movie. Sarma highlighted the significance of showing the picture at the London Film Festival – in the city that nurtured Ramla.

Hodan Yusuf, as Ramla’s mother, also stopped by to discuss the universality of the themes in In the Shadows, particularly the maternal instinct to protect one’s children. She went in depth about her research for her role and its impact on the artistic choices she made in her performance. Yusuf alluded to London and its beauty, its vibrant diversity and what the city adds to the story of Ramla.

Suhayla Ahmed plays the teen version of Ramla, and she spoke about working with Jobson and getting advice from the Top Boy star regarding the role. She also expressed appreciation to Wonke for his openness on set and her desire to work with him again. Ahmed underlined the importance of platforming Ramla’s story at the London Film Festival, especially because of the city’s diversity.

Lead star of the film Jobson, alongside Finn Cole who plays Richard, her love interest, stopped by to bask in Ramla’s success and the journey it took to get to where she is. Cole in particular expanded on his experience working with Jobson, keeping in mind that it was the latter’s first time portraying a real-life figure.

Finally, Ali made time to grace the carpet despite being busy preparing for another upcoming fight this November. She talked about scheduling training around her day and making time to promote the piece because of its significance. This theme of sacrifice tied overall to everything she did and gave up to be the best at what she does, ending the In the Shadows red carpet on a bittersweet yet well-earned note.

Mae Trumata

In the Shadows does not yet have a release date.

Read more reviews from our London Film Festival 2026 coverage here.

For further information about the event, visit the London Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for In the Shadows here: