First target reached! Stretch target: £30,000
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Dance of Identity - getting the film out
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Aim
To fund post production of my feature documentary about a trans family as they navigate an alarming onslaught against trans rights
Dance of Identity – help us get this film out into the world
Trans people in the UK are facing an alarming onslaught on their rights based on a false narrative - that their existence represents a threat to other women and children.
Most trans people do not feel safe speaking out publicly.
This film changes that. It is about the private reality of a trans woman who is a wife, a mother, a daughter and a businesswoman supporting her family. She's also a dancer.
Dance of Identity is a powerful, intimate documentary following Sophie and her family over seven years, as they navigate love, parenthood and everyday life lived in fear as their rights are increasingly called into question.
We now have an edited rough cut. We need your help to finish the film and get it seen.
Thanks to the support for our previous crowdfunder last autumn, we have edited an 88-minute rough cut of the film. Reviewers have hailed it as "stunningly powerful" "compelling" and "incredibly moving".
We now have the backing of two outstanding executive producers who believe in our mission to bring the human story of trans lives to the wider public:
- Christopher Hird of Dartmouth Films, known for bringing hard-hitting documentaries to cinemas
BAFTA-winning writer and trans community leader Sukey Venables Fisher
But we need your help to make this happen! We need £25,000 to pay for post-production so the film can reach a worldwide audience.
This funding will cover:
- Picture grading, graphic design and final editing
- Sound mixing and original music
- Clearing rights to archive footage
- Legal fees and insurance
- Digital mastering
Without this final stage, the film cannot be released.
Please consider making a donation today to help us overcome this last hurdle and complete the film
Why this film matters now
Today it is clear that the legal rights won by Britain’s LGBT and trans community in the early 2000s are in serious peril.
A well funded campaign in the media and the courts to undermine those rights has culminated in the controversial 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the definition of “woman” in the Equality Act, which contradicts Sophie’s right to live her life in her new gender openly and without fear.
This is all happening within a darkening global context, as political decisions in countries such as the USA continue to restrict access to trans healthcare and rights.
Dance of Identity is a much needed riposte to the false claims about trans people.
The film puts Sophie and her wife Sandi at the centre of the story, asking viewers to enter their world and experience what is happening from their point of view. Its perspective is that of a real family living responsible caring lives.
It sheds light on uncertainty, on love, on self expression and solidarity, while revealing the human impact of negative media coverage, social media hate, political rhetoric and judicial rulings which are undoing the legal framework of trans existence.
Back in 2018 I set out to document one woman’s journey, her life as a dancer, her transition, and her ambitions.
Over the past seven years, the film has grown into something much more significant.
It now captures the impact of life changing legal rulings, increasingly hostile media narratives, and the erosion of rights affecting trans people across the UK and beyond.
A human story at the centre
Dance of Identity follows Sophie’s achievements in dance, the couple’s determination to overcome bureaucratic barriers to marry, and their journey to build a family through self funded IVF.
It is also a story of resilience, shaped by online harassment, a complex and shifting legal landscape, and years spent waiting for essential healthcare.
We are with Sophie at one of the most significant moments of her life, receiving the surgery she has waited years for, while at the same time confronting growing uncertainty about her future.
Through one family’s experience, the film reflects what thousands of trans people in the UK are now living through.
Changing hearts and minds - "A film of heart and humanity"
Dance of Identity is a unique opportunity for the public to hear directly from a trans woman and her family.
Through the experiences of Sophie and her family, the film tells the story of the seven year build up to today’s increasingly polarised debates, offering an intimate and deeply human perspective on what it feels like to be transgender in the UK.
While this is the story of one family, it speaks to something much wider.
It reflects how Britain has dropped from one of the leading countries in Europe for LGBTQ+ rights some 10 years ago to a position not far off Hungary and why many trans people are now ready to leave the UK.
Above all, the film puts a human face on experiences that are often reduced to headlines, bringing empathy, nuance and understanding to a subject that is too often discussed without the voices of those most affected
We need this film in cinemas and public spaces to counter false narratives and enable audiences to understand the human rights that are at stake.
At a recent test screening, viewers described the film as:
- “stunningly powerful”
- “incredibly moving”
- “a film of heart and humanity”
- “more powerful than Will & Harper”
Several audience members said it changed how they understood trans lives.
That is why this film is important.
If you believe stories like this need to be seen, please donate what you can and help us bring this film to wider audiences.
Making trans lives visible
Few trans people feel able to speak publicly in the current climate. For many, the risks, from online abuse to real-world consequences, are simply too high.
Sophie has chosen to share her life on camera, not just for herself, but to bring the realities, challenges and humanity of trans people in the UK and beyond to a wider audience, helping to build greater understanding and compassion.
Her willingness to be visible gives this film its power. It allows audiences to connect with a real person, a partner, a parent and a dancer, rather than an abstract debate.
That visibility is what makes understanding possible. And it is what makes this film matter.
What your support will make possible
With your help, we will:
- complete post-production and prepare the film for release
- submit to major UK and international film festivals
- enable community screenings across the UK and beyond
- support discussions, Q&As and outreach events
But this is not just about getting the film seen.
It is about what happens when people watch it.
Screenings and events will create space for audiences to move beyond headlines and hear directly from lived experience. They will open up conversations in cinemas, community venues, universities and organisations where many people may never have engaged with a trans story in this way before.
By putting a human face to experiences that are often misunderstood or misrepresented, the film can help shift perceptions, challenge misinformation, and build empathy.
These moments of understanding matter.
They influence how people think, how they talk to others, how institutions respond, and how communities include and support trans people in everyday life.
For trans people themselves, greater understanding can mean safer environments, more informed decision-making by those in positions of responsibility, and a stronger sense that their lives are seen, valued and respected.
Our goal is to reach people who have never heard a trans story like this before, and to turn that understanding into lasting change.
Why we’re crowdfunding again
We funded seven years of filming ourselves through my production company.
Last Autumn, we raised over £25,000 to create the rough cut with editor Bonnie Rae Brickman.
We are now on the final stretch.
This crowdfunder will enable us to complete the film and bring it into the world.
The wider context
The state of public funding for independent documentary is extremely challenging.Many important films struggle to secure the resources needed to reach audiences, particularly those telling stories that are politically sensitive or underrepresented.
We are also very conscious of who we are asking to support this work.
Trans people are among the most marginalised groups in society, and many are already facing significant financial pressures, including the cost of essential, often life-saving healthcare that is increasingly difficult to access.
For that reason, we are actively seeking support from outside the trans community, from those who have the means to help ensure these stories are told and heard.
Alongside this crowdfunder, we are reaching out to individual donors, philanthropic funders, grant-giving bodies and organisations who share a commitment to human rights, storytelling and social change.
If you are in a position to support at that level, or can connect us with individuals or organisations who may be interested in backing this project, we would very much welcome hearing from you.
We are appealing to all those who support trans, LGBTQ+ and human rights to help us complete and release this film.
Please support and share
Please donate what you can.
Every contribution helps bring this film closer to completion and ensures it reaches the audiences who need to see it.
If you are unable to donate, sharing this campaign is just as valuable.
Together, we can help amplify voices that urgently need to be heard.
You can follow our progress and keep in touch with us on our social media platform here:
Instagram: @DanceOfIdentity
Ways to support the film
Every donation, whatever the size, helps bring this film closer to completion and ensures it reaches the audiences who need to see it. Depending on the reward you choose, we will be delighted to acknowledge your contribution.
Who we are
We are an experienced team of filmmakers with a strong track record across UK and international documentary, working with broadcasters, festivals and independent cinema.
Alison Rooper (she/her) Director
I have made documentaries all my life. I researched historical documentaries at Granada TV including the award-winning End of Empire: Palestine and Apartheid. I directed films for Channel 4 and BBC Current Affairs before series producing several BBC documentary series. One film was a profile of the renowned trans writer Jan Morris. After setting up In Focus Productions, I executive produced the award winning Storyville:War Feels Like War, and BBC 2's Massacre in Luxor and The Headmaster and the Headscarves along with short and long form films for organisations, charities and broadcasters in Britain and abroad. Amongst my director credits are the Emmy-nominated Doping for Gold (PBS/Five) which told the story of the German trans athlete Andreas Krieger and other athletes doped by the East German state. A Dance of Identity is my first feature documentary.
Sandra Leeming (they/them) Producer
Sandra develops and produces feature documentaries through their Glasgow-based company Sandslate Films. Recent productions include Silent Men (dir Duncan Cowles) which premiered at Sheffield Doc Fest 2024 and was awarded Special Mention by the Jury, and Doppelgangersx3 (dir Nelly Ben Hayoun Stepanian) which premiered SXSW March 2024. They have a number of projects in development. Sandra has twenty years of industry experience including 10 years at Dartmouth Films (London) as Head of Production and Line Producer .Before that they managed hundreds of hours of factual content programmes at Fulcrum TV for all the main UK and International broadcasters. Sandslate Films is a LGBTQ+ business. Sandra is member of the Board of Trustees of the Scottish Queer International Film Festival.
Hattie Beanland (she/her) Cinematographer
Hatti is a Director of Photography living and working in the US & UK. She shot feature film LISTEN an award-winning film by Ana Rocha de Sousa which was selected as the Portuguese entry for the 93rd Academy Awards. Prior to this she shot ASHLAND, a feature film shot on location in Montana. Her documentary credits include Big Star: The Nick Skelton Story, Brother From Another, a true crime docu-series directed by Lysa Heslov and Deadliest Catch, the Natgeo docuseries. In commercials she works for production companies MJZ, Riffraff Films, Anonymous Content and They Gather. She is currently shooting a film about cancel culture for Lysa Heslov. Hatti studied Fine Art at Glasgow School of Art and has a masters in cinematography from the American Film Institute Conservatory. She was selected as a BAFTA Newcomer and is also one of the founding members of the International Collective of Female Cinematographers which provides community, support and industry advocacy for professional female cinematographers.
Bonnie Rae Brickman (she/her) Editor
Bonnie is a New York-born, London-based Film + TV Editor working across both documentary and narrative fiction. Her work has screened on major broadcasters and at international festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, HotDocs, Frameline, Outfest, and BFI Flare. She is a four-time New York Area Emmy Award Certificate recipient and was Highly Commended for Best Editor at Underwire Festival for BOOTWMN. Alongside her editing work, she has taught editing and post-production at SUNY/Oswego, University of West London, and on the Ethnographic & Documentary Film MA programme at UCL. She is passionate about stories that centre queer lives and underrepresented voices.
Sukey Venables Fisher (she/her) Executive Producer
Sukey is a BAFTA and RTS-winning writer, producer and activist, working across features and TV in the UK and internationally. Her most visible role as a trans rights community leader is as one of the core organisers of London Trans+ Pride, now officially the world's biggest.
Christopher Hird (he/him) Executive Producer
Christopher is a leading figure in UK independent documentary making. With Dartmouth Films he has pioneered new ways of funding, producing and distributing documentaries in the UK, as well as promoting the work of new and emerging filmmakers.
Others
Assistant producers who have worked on the film are: Martha Bailey, Leanne Hayman, Thalia Kent-Egan. Cinematographers are Kate Harvest, Esteban Uyarra, James Dawson, Ben G Brown, Abi Timmins, Joe Simmons Jenni Suitiala and John Hoare.
Together, the team brings decades of experience in documentary filmmaking, with work recognised by major broadcasters, international festivals and industry awards.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 31st July 2026 at 1:42pm