ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
THE FIGHT TO FIGHT takes a special kind of courage. Three of the first women to integrate the US Army’s all-male ground combat units face challenges that threaten their careers and dreams. This is the untold story of heroic women battling to earn their place on the frontlines.

SYNOPSIS
Women have served and fought in every US conflict since the American Revolution, however, their scope of service was severely limited by laws and policies. More than a decade into the 21st century, the US government still excluded women from ground combat roles based solely on their gender, not their skills or abilities.

The film begins when a group of women sue the Secretary of Defense in 2012, challenging the constitutionality of the exclusion policy, which ultimately leads to the first American women offered the chance to enter ground combat training in 2016.

THE FIGHT TO FIGHT focuses on three of the first women who volunteer to integrate ground combat units. It also tells the stories of two Army veterans who support the young women, one as a public advocate and the other as a well-connected guardian angel.

The three young women express optimism and confidence when their journeys begin, but as their stories unfold, they shift to frustration and anger at an un-welcoming institution.

A pivotal moment in the film occurs when all three fail Ranger School. The stakes are high, because Ranger School is a rite of passage for officers entering ground combat units. The grueling course pushes soldiers to their physical, mental and emotional limits, making the 'Ranger Tab' a gateway to respect. While many men worried that course standards would be lowered when women were admitted, instead the women face an even higher bar.

The women also wage other battles, such as getting properly fitting combat gear, enduring overt hostility by senior enlisted men, and encountering deeply ingrained gender bias. These struggles take a heavy toll, however, through determination and a desire to crush them with competence they succeed by ultimately earning Ranger Tabs, deploying to war zones, leading combat units, and redefining gender stereotypes.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Joy Bronson
SCREENWRITER Joe Skorupa
PRODUCER Joy Bronson
CO-PRODUCER Ellen Haring, Kris Fuhr

The Film Collaborative (TFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for independent filmmakers. TFC’s federal tax ID number is 32-0295081. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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