Warrior Princess
A cinematic portrait of Kelly Broerse, one of New Zealands top Muay Thai fighters and a forensic scientist who works analysing crime scenes. A woman driven by discipline purpose and a deep love for the sport.
Created for the Sony Film Festival, the film was selected as an official entry and screened among some of the strongest short films in the region. The piece follows Kelly through training preparation reflection and recovery revealing the emotional and physical intensity behind her journey.
The story
Kelly carries two demanding worlds at once. In the ring she is a national champion and Pacific champion known for discipline and power. Outside the ring she works in forensics supporting police investigations with calm precision.
The film explores her focus strength and quiet determination without using a single line of dialogue. Every beat of the story is told through movement breath light and rhythm.
The challenge
Telling a four minute story with no spoken words was the hardest and most exciting part of this project. Every frame had to carry emotion and meaning on its own. The camera needed to stay close enough to feel intimate but never distract from Kelly herself.
Everything was filmed handheld. Training sequences sparring and quiet moments of preparation were captured with a moving camera that stays with her breathing and rhythm. This made the shoot physically demanding but created a feeling of presence that a tripod could not.
One of the key moments in the film takes place at Kitekite Falls on a cold day. Kelly steps into the freezing water to shadow box and meditate. This sequence lifts the film from gym and lab into something more reflective and emotional. It hints at how she resets from both forensic work and the impact of being hit in the ring.
Why it matters
Many stories about combat sports focus only on violence or victory. Warrior Princess is about commitment and the quiet work behind every fight. It is also a rare spotlight on women in sport who often receive less attention despite remarkable achievements.
The response to the film and its selection for the Sony Film Festival was a powerful validation of this approach. It showed that a small self initiated project built around one person and one camera can stand alongside much larger productions when the story is honest and focused.
Credits
- Direction, Director of Photography, Editing, Post Production — Diego Opatowski
- Talent — Kelly Broerse
- Colorist — Colourspace
- Sound Mix and Music — Shamir Rodriguez
- Hair and Make Up — Elise Anderson
- Created for the Sony Film Festival
- Official selection
- Four minute short film
- All camera work handheld