Together Films has secured worldwide sales rights for the upcoming LGBTQ+ sports documentary “Gay Games,” showcasing the renowned inclusive sports tournament. This acquisition represents a significant milestone for the visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes in mainstream media channels.
Breaking boundaries in sports representation
The groundbreaking documentary “Gay Games” brings to screen the vibrant and diverse world of this international LGBTQ+ sporting event. Acquired by Together Films from UK production company My Accomplice, the film will be presented to potential buyers at prestigious documentary festivals including DOC NYC and IDFA.
This project marks the feature directorial debut of UK filmmaker Cherish ‘Chez’ Oteka, whose previous work “The Black Cop” earned a BAFTA award for best short film in 2022. The documentary has received financial backing from the BFI Doc Society, highlighting its cultural significance and potential impact.
“In this time, there is a real need for a film that is both politically and joyously queer,” explains director Oteka, emphasizing the documentary’s dual purpose of celebration and advocacy.
The Gay Games tournament itself features a diverse range of sporting competitions including:
- Football
- Basketball
- Ballroom dancing
- Powerlifting
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Inclusive competition in a changing landscape
What distinguishes the Gay Games from traditional sporting competitions is its progressive stance on gender identity. The tournament explicitly welcomes transgender athletes to participate in accordance with their gender identity, creating a truly inclusive competitive environment.
Together Films CEO and founder Sarah Mosses highlighted the documentary’s relevance: “Gay Games is both timely and commercial, tapping into global discussions around identity and inclusion in sports. In the wake of the Olympic Games and divisive rhetoric around gender identity, we believe Gay Games will resonate with global audiences and spark meaningful conversations.”
This acquisition comes at a pivotal moment in sports culture, as debates around transgender participation in athletics continue across major sporting organizations worldwide. The documentary offers a perspective that celebrates inclusion rather than focusing on division.
| Key Elements | Impact |
|---|---|
| LGBTQ+ representation | Increased visibility for queer athletes |
| Transgender inclusion | Model for gender-affirming competition |
| Diverse sporting events | Broadens definition of athletic achievement |
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Strategic expansion of documentary offerings
This acquisition represents the second significant pickup for Together Films in recent days, following their acquisition of the US abortion rights documentary “Zurawski v Texas.” This strategic pattern suggests the distribution company is actively building a catalog of socially relevant documentaries addressing contemporary cultural and political issues.
The timing of the “Gay Games” acquisition appears particularly strategic, coming shortly after the Olympic Games and amid ongoing global conversations about gender identity in sports. This positioning potentially enhances the documentary’s marketing appeal and cultural relevance.
Industry experts anticipate that documentaries focusing on LGBTQ+ themes and sports inclusion will continue gaining prominence in the international film market. With major streaming platforms increasingly investing in diverse content, “Gay Games” seems poised to find significant distribution channels.
The film joins a growing category of sports documentaries that move beyond traditional narratives of competition to explore deeper themes of identity, belonging, and social progress through athletics. By showcasing the Gay Games tournament, the documentary provides viewers with an alternative vision of sporting community that prioritizes inclusion alongside achievement.
