12th Man: the documentary on homosexuality in football

The number of documentaries on football has grown considerably over the past few years, clubs like Juventus or Manchester City are using them to narrate the season, others like Tottenham produce entire TV series, directors use epic football stories to remember matches or telling stories of legends, as in the case of the recent "Maradona" by Asif Kapadia. Taking advantage of the narrative possibilities of cinema, the range of ways in which to narrate football widens and consequently also the themes and points of view. "12th Man", the short film about the ultra-masculine environment of Scottish amateur football through the story of Angus and Charlie, footballers of the team and in love with each other, comes from the possibility of telling football also through important social issues. The short is an alternation of sporting challenges and struggles against prejudice on their homosexuality, telling from inside the locker room what today remains one of the greatest taboos to dispel in the world of football.

"12th Man", directed by Caitlin Black and shot in the locker room and starring the players of Patrick Trhirstle (Scottish Championship club), is a project carried out to support Stevewall UK, the LGBTQ + community rights advocacy that celebrates Rainbow Laces Day on November 27th. The initiative largely supported by the world of sport was also sustained by the Premier League, and as happened last season, also in the next weekend we will see on the English stadiums many footballers with rainbow shoelaces.
The film wants to break down barriers and gender discrimination in football, starting from an invented story that reflects a macho mentality, abandoned by many sports but not by football.