Inspired by strong female driven stories, 25 year old Writer-Producer, Emily Morales, came across the incredible, untold and true story of Dorothy Lawrence. Studying a film Masters course at Goldsmiths University, London, Morales collaborated with fellow students, Slovenian Award-Winning Director-Actor, Vida Breže, and German Producer, Liza Jane Wiedemann. Together, the three combined their shared interest in history and ambition to foster more untold female narratives. And in this vain, the making of this film was led by a female majority team.

Sapper Smith is set at the outbreak of WWI. It follows Dorothy, a young woman who yearns to experience the war firsthand as a reporter in the trenches. Despite strong opposition, she takes matters into her own hands and travels to France unaccompanied. There, she approaches two soldiers, Tom and Bill, with a daunting request - help her reach the front lines by transforming her into a male soldier. Despite the dangers ahead, they teach her how to look, walk, and talk like a man, and drill and march like a soldier. Soon, 'Sapper Denis Smith' is her new identity. But it's not only war that threatens her now, her immediate fear is that her true identity may be discovered.

‍Vida Breže 'The story of Dorothy Lawrence was silenced throughout the past century. Dorothy was born into a patriarchal society and dared to do the unthinkable.

She uncompromisingly followed her dreams of becoming a WWI correspondent. In order to share the experience of WWI first-hand Dorothy travelled to France on her one. There she disguised herself as a male soldier to infiltrate the army. Despite having no support from British newspapers, Dorothy was one of the first true investigative female journalists of her time.

What an incredible story!

In our film, we want to shine light on a story that has long been overlooked and do justice to Dorothy Lawrence's story and legacy. Dorothy has been a role model way before her time. There are still persisting, confining, and outdated stereotypes that girls should be pretty, sweet, and nice. Dorothy Lawrence was all that and so much more.

I wanted to encourage all women to follow their dreams unapologetically and shed a light on the many other characteristics that women possess – such as being brilliantly clever, resourceful, courageous, fearless, committed and dedicated to their goals.

My desire was also to tighten the gap in film narration that is lacking courageous, fearless, unapologetic female characters and feature a positive female role model to the audience that says: “Act on your dreams. Even if odds are completely stacked against you.”

The best part – everything is based on true events!'

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