Filming for The Fighters

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A FILM championing women as “fighters” is set to be shot in areas of Islington where the writer and director grew up.

Noel Wilson, who grew up in Mildmay, said he hopes The Fighters “does something really good for women lead characters”.

The film is about a group of villains who mistakenly hide stolen diamonds in a female-run dojo.

With a premiere slated for 2025, scenes are being shot around Angel and Mildmay.

Mr Wilson told the Tribune: “I want to see more women as lead characters, and not romantic leads, but fighters, looking after themselves.”

In the film the crooks return to the hidden jewels but are blocked from entering by the martial artists.

They must hire a woman assassin, Johti, to infiltrate and wipe out students and teachers at the kung fu school.
A student vows to reap their revenge on the villain.

Jaz Dhillon, who plays Johti, and Daniele Petrusenaite, who plays Terry, both trained in martial arts prior to getting their roles.

“I feel like females are stereotyped so much in films,” said Ms Petrusenaite. “A ditsy blonde, she can’t defend herself, it’s bad.

“So I think it’s good that you have a film that can represent different sorts of women, and that they’re not only a ditsy person that expects a knight in shining armour, but she can become that knight in shining armour, especially to younger girls.”

She added: “I remember how, when I was younger, I probably wanted to be a fighter.

“I didn’t want to just sit around, I wanted to do something about it, so that’s why I like playing her character, because I see myself in her.”

Ms Dhillon told the Tribune that she had taken up martial arts almost a decade ago, in order to feel safe walking home.

“I don’t worry about walking down my street, I don’t feel like I have to have keys in my hand because I know if anything happened, I would be able to defend myself,” she said.