Ford's debut scooped by Aquarius Films for TV series

Aquarius Films is producing "Fight Like A Girl", a comedy drama TV series based on the book of the same name by Australian feminist writer Clementine Ford.

The company acquired all development and production rights to Ford’s debut, which it described as a “personal and daring memoir – an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be, which exposes just how unequal the world continues to be for women”.

Fight Like A Girl was published in 2016 in Australia by Allen & Unwin, and in the US and the UK by Oneworld. Following the book’s release, Ford received the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards.

Six half-hour episodes will be created by Ford and Lou Sanz. They are joined on writing duties by Nayuka Gorrie and Nina Oyama, while the series will be produced by Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford for Aquarius Films.

Producers Fielder and Staniford said: “We were incredibly inspired by Clem’s book Fight Like A Girl and moved by her authentic and powerful voice. Clem is an influencer and a social disrupter who openly speaks of taboo subjects in order to spark conversation and incite change. She is not afraid of controversy and through her writing is able to delve into important issues with satire and grace. We are very excited to partner with her on this compelling new project.”

Ford added: “As an insecure teen growing up in the 90s, television was such an escape for me. To be able to develop a narrative fiction version of this time for today’s viewers is an absolute dream come true. Fight Like A Girl resonated with so many readers because, despite our differences, there are parts of being a girl in the world that are universal. We want to offer the same experience now to a broader audience, reminding everyone how far we’ve come - and how far we still have to go.”