Take a look at the new trailer for WONDERKID.
Football is a man’s game. It’s a saying many of us have heard a million times. The bravado of the footballing community has lead it to being one of the most stereotypical ‘masculine’ environments in sport today. It doesn’t leave much room for openness. At the top, there are no out Premier League footballers, with homophobia in football being rife. Those who have come out, have done so after retiring due to fear of backlash and career-destroying repercussions.
But new film WONDERKID by Rhys Chapman, aims to tackle the issue head on.
Stolen glances, slanging matches, passionate kisses, paparazzi, trials and tribulations, torrents of abuse from ‘fans’ - the trailer gives a glimpse into WONDERKID’s life.
“After earning a dream move to a London Premier League club, ‘WONDERKID’ should be on top of the world. The reality? He’s faced with callous friends, a hostile changing room, vitriol-filled messages on social media and, crucially, WONDERKID’s having to deal with himself. He’s a young man making sense of his own sexuality in a world which has no history of, or appetite for, supporting gay professional footballers. The trailer highlights the key issue - why should his sexuality be an issue? It’s 2016!”
Starring Chris Mason, the film depicts the inner turmoil of a gay professional footballer. The film is part of a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the lack of openly gay professionals in the sport.
27-year-old film-maker Rhys Chapman wanted to make a film that educated as well as entertained; “Because we don’t know of any gay footballers currently playing in the UK, people wouldn’t necessarily understand the trauma suffered by someone in that environment,” he said. “So we’ve created an authentic and emotional portrayal of a fictional gay footballer at the top of the game, to shine a light on this subject and hopefully create a great deal of compassion towards any gay footballers.”
On the film, session groomer, educator, and co-founder of London’s Manifesto salon Mikey Pearson lead the hair team using products from Bumble and Bumble.
A special screening of the film was held in Manifesto’s London salon.
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