We sometimes forget celebrities, actors even sports stars are human and have their own personal private lives behind the glitz and glam. In Ben A.Williams The Pass starring Russell Tovey (Looking, Being Human, The History Boys) who plays a closeted gay Premiership footballer.
After opening the prestigious BFI Flare Festival,the film will be part of the BFI London Film Festival before being released in cinemas December 2016. Check out the trailer…
The Pass is the story of three very different nights over 10 years in the life of a Premier League Footballer. Jason (Russell Tovey) is at the beginning of his career, and on the night before his first big international match he and long-time friend and team-mate Ade (Arinze Kene) share a hotel room, trying to beat the inevitable pre-match tensions with locker-room banter and teenage high-jinks. Out of nowhere Jason kisses Ade. The emotional repercussions of this pass, and the decisions that follow on and off the pitch, have a major impact on every aspect of the public and private lives of both men across the next decade, in a sporting world where image is everything.
It’s ridiculous in today’s society that how judgemental we can be when a well known person comes out we sensationalise it, especially the daily rags. There has been many actors, musicians who have came out if anything it’s not changed their careers if anything possibly enhanced them. At this stage no Premiership players have come out as gay, however football fans of a certain age may remember Justin Fashanu as the first openly gay player in the 1980’s. Sadly this was a different decade which saw Justin not just fought the homophobes but racism as he was a black player and a very talented player too.
The Pass is adapted for the screen by John Donnelly from his hit play first presented at the Royal Court Theatre, produced by renowned British film producer Duncan Kenworthy (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, The Eagle).
The cast includes Hollyoaks heart-throb Nico Mirallegro and theatre and TV actress Lisa McGrillis. Tovey, McGrillis and Mirallegro all reprise the roles they originally performed on stage.
The Pass will be released in the UK by Lionsgate Films, and from today you can purchase tickets to see the film at 60th BFI London Film Festival.
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