I am Mia

The scouts

It's competent identity-politics drama—exactly the kind of prestige-bait that festivals eat up and then disappear. Nothing here resists the template: trans boxer, skeptical daughter, redemption arc. Where's the film that makes me uncomfortable about what I *expect* from this story?

Salzburger works within a recognizable lineage of intimate sports portraiture and family melodrama, and the film's restraint—its refusal to soundtrack sentiment—shows real formal discipline. A measured piece that understands how boxing and parenthood both demand economy of gesture.

The crucial move is how Salzburger lets the ring sequences breathe without cutting away—Mia's physical presence, her breath, her focus *is* the emotional argument, not the daughter's reaction shots. That editing choice alone transforms what could've been victim narrative into something about presence and reclamation.

Reviews

Stylishly filmed and full of powerful themes and fighting sequences, I am Mia is an impressive and moving film.