The Rakuten TV platform presents We All Playa documentary about the inclusion of the LGBTQAI+ community in sport. From the inspiring stories of athletes who defy all kinds of obstacles to the brave accounts of those who have fought for their right to compete on equal terms, We All Play offers an in-depth and moving look at the transformative power of sport and the importance of creating truly inclusive spaces within the sporting community. The documentary will be available exclusively and free of charge on Rakuten TV across Europe, starting 18 July.
Although sport often represents ideals of equality, justice, perseverance, discipline and integrity, it is still a taboo in 2024 to be gay, lesbian or transgender20% of LGBTQIA+ people refrain from participating in elite sport due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. In many sports such as football, the NBA, tennis, the NFL or rugby, there is a very small percentage of players who openly declare their sexual orientation and most of the time this concealment is due to the stigma that comes with this revelation: harassment, loss of sponsorship, advertising reactions and the impact on team dynamics or its fans are still very deep-rooted issues. Although there has been progress in support from associations and brands, is it enough to achieve real change? What needs to happen to achieve true acceptance? It must be addressed in depth to find the fault line and achieve lasting positive change.
We All Play premieres on Rakuten TV just before the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The documentary sheds light on the athletes who speak out, the communities that support them in their fight on and off the field, and aims to combat prejudice, discrimination and promote inclusion in the world of sport.
On a journey around the world, this inspiring documentary introduces us for the first time to elite athletes who share their personal and professional experiences. For this reason, this documentary revolves around the fight against discrimination, with the main objective of changing the way we view diversity as an element of wealth for sport and society.
The documentary is directed by Spanish director Pablo de la Chica —winner of three Goya Awards from the Spanish Film Academy thanks to Blue & Malone: Impossible Cases (2021), Mother (2022) and Although it is night (2024)— and produced by Atlantika Films in collaboration with LACOproductora and Diario AS, with the participation of RTVE. This documentary is one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in sport.
Some of the leading talents featured in the documentary include Campbell Johnstone, recognised as the first All Black rugby player to come out as gay, inspiring change both on and off the field; Lola Gallardo, the openly lesbian Atlético de Madrid football goalkeeper who shares her unique experience of acceptance in the world of sport; Javier Raya, the talented figure skater, whose path to acceptance has served as an inspiration to many members of the LGBTQIA+ community; Valentina Petrillo, the transgender athlete who defies all barriers in athletics, sharing her struggle and achievements in pursuit of inclusion; Liz Carmouche, the mixed martial arts fighter who has won belts and hearts, defying stereotypes and opening doors for the LGBTQIA+ community; Michael Sam, the American football pioneer who defied any kind of canon by being the first openly gay player selected in the NFL draft; Víctor Gutiérrez, the prominent water polo player and politician who became one of the first Spanish athletes to come out, paving the way for inclusion in the world of sport; Alejandra Jiménez, the courageous Mexican boxer whose story of triumph and struggle has inspired countless people from diverse communities; and Joanna Harper, a scientist and long-distance runner whose work in the field of transgender sport has significantly contributed to the development of the debate on inclusion and equity.
“We are very proud to launch We All Play “as the first Original documentary of 2024,” says Daniel Gilgado, Head of Originals at Rakuten TV. “With Rakuten TV we are committed to making our Originals as a kind of branded contentwhich is able to spread the company’s values such as empowerment, innovation and diversity. This documentary is an excellent example of how a film can promote change, and represents another milestone in our editorial line after the launch of inspiring stories of diversity in highly stereotyped fields, such as women in football or motorcycling.”
“People are who they are beyond their sex, gender, sexual orientation or any diversity, and embracing and fostering diversity and inclusion is key to letting them thrive, to not leaving anyone behind and to living in a fair and sustainable society. To overcome the prejudices and stigmas that separate us from this goal, we also need to create diverse role models: to do so, films have a crucial responsibility in the content they broadcast. At Rakuten TV, we do our part to make the entertainment industry more inclusive. The content we produce and distribute inspires more than 150 million households across Europe: that’s why we are committed to promoting narrative that reflects the complexity of society and to increasingly focus on gender equality and social impact to inspire positive and sustainable change,” says Fabiana Cumia, Director of Public Relations and ESG at Rakuten TV.
Starting July 18th, We All Play will join the collection of Rakuten Originalswhich presents original, exclusive and free content from Rakuten TV in a total of 43 countries in Europe, through stories of optimism, empowerment and diversity that reflect the company’s DNA.
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