We were lucky enough to score a video chat with filmmaker Zoë McIntosh, director and co-writer of the highly anticipated documentary, Stylebender.

Stylebender is an intimate look at Israel Adesanya, the Nigerian-born, New Zealand- based MMA champion, going beyond the octagon and delving deep into an unlikely fighter’s journey. Exploring Israel’s experiences of masculinity, bullying, mental health and the healing power of dance, the film is a poignant examination of the complex, electrifying and sometimes controversial figure known as ‘The Last Stylebender.’

In the interview you can watch above, we discuss how Zoë came to be attached to this ambitious project, the challenges of crafting a documentary over a period of around 5 years, whether Israel had any say in the final cut, what his reaction was when seeing it for the first time, and more.

Stylebender will be in Australian cinemas from September 28th.