FIGHT LIKE A GIRL

Director: Gözde Mimiko Türkkan 

Cast: Namibia Flores Rodriguez, Lia Rojas Pagan, Gözde Mimiko Türkkan 

Date: January 28, 2025

Duration: 19 minutes 5 seconds 

Country: Türkiye 

Topic: Fight Like a Girl / Pelea Como Una Chica, is a film accompanying the performance and installation project by Gözde Mimiko Türkkan, realised in collaboration with Cuban boxer Namibia Flores Rodríguez. The project was performed and exhibited at Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam as part of the 15th Bienal de la Habana – Shared Horizons in Cuba, from 15 November 2024 to 28 February 2025.  

First introduced at the beginning of the 20th century, today boxing is considered a popular sport in Cuba. Although the ban on professional boxing in 1962 may seem to have hindered its development, Cuban style boxing earned an international reputation as a defensive style focused on tactics, precision and movement instead of offense and power. This style is deeply rooted in ‘Juego de maní’, a stick-fighting martial art and dance that was developed and practiced in Cuba by African slaves working on the sugar plantations. Complicating matters, women were banned from all forms of competition until only a few years ago. Whether this ban was driven by fears of harm to their childbearing bodies or rooted in a paternalistic culture of overprotecting women remains debatable. Thus, the realisation of Fight Like a Girl / Pelea Como Una Chica comes at a pivotal time, highlighting Cuban women and non-binary boxing practitioners while expanding the relevance of their practice beyond the context of sports. 

Combat sports, while susceptible to perpetuating discrimination and gender-based violence, also serve as a powerful tool for empowerment, fostering confidence in one’s body and promoting solidarity. In this context, boxing, interwoven with political history and reflective of current social issues, establishes strong ties and deeply resonates within Cuban society.