Greek Australian filmmaker and coach Dean Georgio, along with videographer Paul Zarogiannis, are co-directing the next filming project on women’s football, a non-profit production undertaken by Gold Leaf Creative.
The project has received support and accreditation from Football Federation Victoria (FFV) as well as the support of Football Federation Australia (FFA).
When the Levee Breaks will follow the U13 Girls Victorian State team during this year’s season, playing in the Victorian National Premier League competition boys league until the October 2016 finals.
In this team there are six Greek girls who play football at the highest level in Victoria and will be part of this documentary: Miette Georgio, Betti Michael, Kiara Hronopoulos, Sophie Papatsanis, Paige Zois and Nia Stamatopoulos.
The project appears to align well with recent marketing values and campaigns for women and #equalfuture and with the mindset of creating a wave of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles for women.
“The drive behind this venture is my passion and support for women’s football as an avid and passionate supporter of the sport,” Dean Georgio tells Neos Kosmos.
“A few years ago while coaching I decided to film an U11 girls team to create a mini-documentary. The project remained unfinished due to my work commitments, however, my daughter Miette, aged 12, also an avid filmmaker, used the video files to create her own version of how she viewed women’s football and the hurdles the girls face to play the game they love.”
The widespread positive attention and feedback, ranging from a Melbourne newspaper to many footballing identities, spawned the vision of Georgio’s next project, When the Levee Breaks.
Highlight the commitment of the girls and their families, the coaches and staff at the FFV, the aim is to promote women’s football, equality and the benefits of being active and healthy through playing sport.
The U13 girls squad consists of footballing talent identified and handpicked from around Victoria and will document the trials and tribulations of girls playing at the highest level within their age group even against boys.
“There is a need for the mindset to change in Australia when it comes to equality and girls getting a fair go,” Georgio points out.
“It is worth mentioning that some of the girls travel up to six hours per day to attend training sessions, which is a small indication of the determination and love they have for football.
“We want this documentary, that will portray confident, successful young girls working towards creating the female footballer of the future, to inspire women,” he explains.
With the support of the FFV and FFA, the project will also include interviews and participation from well-known footballing identities.
It will be designed to further enhance the profile of women’s football, which has gained attention recently from the success of the national women’s team the Matildas’ qualification for the Rio Olympics and quest for equal pay.
A promotional video of this project can be seen on www.vimeo.com/164229398. To watch the previous documentary go to www.vimeo.com/152125706.