As part of the pop culture program in the run-up to the European Football Championship 2024 in Cologne, we want to focus on the visibility of the Black & Latinx LGBQT+ on Saturday the 24th of April at the BüZe. We have invited the makers of the short film "Realness with a Twist" for a screening followed by a discussion. Conceived in 2023 by British-Indian director Cass Virdee, the short film "Realness with a Twist" is about a talented footballer who is torn between his secret passion for voguing and the fear of disapproval from his teammates. The film provides the perfect impetus for a discussion about gender equality and diversity in the context of soccer and the sports industry and establishes an initial link between the ballroom community and soccer.

REALNESS WITH A TWIST follows a talented footballer who is forced to battle between his secret passion for voguing and the fear of his team-mate’s disapproval.

SHORT SYPNOPSIS

Simon is a young talented footballer torn between two worlds. He navigates the realm of football and masculinity while hiding a secret passion for vogue.

At the heart of this tale is Simon’s friendship with Les, a confident voguer who is unapologetically himself. Les urges Simon to step beyond his comfort zone and embrace his authentic self. Simon’s journey to self-discovery is marked by internal struggles and envy of his peers. On one front, his football team urges conformity, stifling his true essence.

Written and Directed by: Cass Virdee

Written and Produced by: David J. Giles

Produced by: Maria Salcher

Production Company: Lucky Mascot Productions

Editor: Lesley Posso

Cinematographer: Charlie Jenkins

Composer: Joanna Karselis

Running Time: 12 Minutes

The Realness with a Twist film screening takes place as part of FU24BA7L. FU24BA7L is a soccer culture festival taking place in Cologne in the run-up to UEFA EURO 2024. The project is funded by the Football and Culture Foundation and organized by cologne on pop GmbH on behalf of Arsch Huh e.V.