In the Shadows: Jasmine Jobson and a Somali Cast Bring Ramla Ali’s Fight to the Screen
The biopic of Somali-British boxer Ramla Ali opened in UK and Irish cinemas on October 30 with a Black British lead, a Somali supporting cast and a first-time narrative director.
The story of Somali-British boxer Ramla Ali is one of determination, identity and the courage to challenge expectations. Ramla Ali arrived in London as a Somali refugee and trained as a boxer in secret, without her family’s knowledge, before becoming a history-making boxing champion. Her story is coming to the big screen in the film In the Shadows, with BAFTA-winning actress Jasmine Jobson from the film Top Boy, MobLand taking the lead role.
Directed by Anthony Wonke, produced by Lee Magiday, known for The Favourite, and Madeleine Sanderson. Ramla Ali and her husband, Richard Moore, also serve as executive producers, bringing a personal connection to the story being told.
The British biographical drama places a Somali story and its performers at the centre of a feature film, bringing together a cast that includes several Somali actors to tell a story rooted in family, culture, displacement and the pursuit of personal freedom.
The film had its world premiere on October 9 at the 70th BFI London Film Festival, at Vue West End. Among those on the red carpet was Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer & Little Women), who attended with her partner Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders, Last Breath), who plays Ramla’s husband, Richard Moore. It was the couple’s first red carpet appearance together, which was all together a moment for the film’s Somali talent and the story they have helped bring to the screen.
The supporting cast further grounds the film in its Somali identity. Hodan Yusuf plays Ramla’s mother, Fatima Suhayla Ahmed portrays the younger Ramla, Roda Asha Aden plays Nura Ali, Mustafa Aden takes the role of Ahmed Ali; Moe Hashim plays Ismail and Samater Ahmed portrays Yasin, Ramla’s brother. Finn Cole plays Richard Moore, while Gershwyn Eustache Jnr (Andor, Small Axe) appears as Clinton, Ramla’s boxing coach.
Why it matters
In the Shadows puts a Black British lead and a Somali cast in a wide UK release. Jobson is Black British. Ramla and the supporting cast are Somali or Somali-British, and the film keeps that distinction on screen. For Somali and East African audiences, it offers a refugee story told from East London, with cultural detail that reviewers noticed.
For Black Film Wire, the film is worth following beyond its sporting premise. It brings a Somali woman's journey to a wider cinema audience, places a BAFTA-winning Black British actress in a leading role and gives Somali performers meaningful space within a British feature.
The film opened in UK and Irish cinemas on October 30 through Metis Films and Early reviews have recognized the film's approach to Ali's story. Time Out gave it three out of five stars and praised Jobson's performance, while Screen Daily described it as a restrained biopic, highlighting its realism and attention to Somali cultural detail.
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