Director Jéro Yun (Mrs. B., A North Korean Woman, NYAFF 2017) applies his well-honed documentary techniques to the boxing genre for a stunning neorealist narrative film about a stranger in a strange land that is powerful, poignant, and culturally resonant. Stoic and laconic Jina, a North Korean refugee in Seoul, finds a janitorial job at a local boxing gym. Her thinly disguised interest in the sport is soon discovered by one of the coaches, who gradually brings her out of her protective shell. This seemingly simple tale deftly raises complex issues of discrimination, xenophobia, trauma, and all the attendant dysfunction, corruption, and societal fissures. A starkly effective emotional drama, Fighter champions the human spirit and the hard-won courage it takes to both survive oppression and show unyielding compassion for others.