A Dance of Identity

A Dance of Identity  is the personal story, filmed over six years, of Yorkshire trans woman Sophie and her partner Sandi and the challenges they've faced in a changing political landscape.  

Can Sophie find peace in her new gender when all around a war is being whipped up over gender rights? Sophie is determined to dance female ballet roles and to have a normal family life while she prepares her once male body for the surgeon’s knife. Will she find the acceptance she’s craved since childhood?

The voices of transgender women are rarely heard in depth amid today’s toxic media coverage. In this film, shot over 6 years, our cameras reveal the triumphs, the physical pain and her growing anxieties as she battles to retain the legal rights won by previous generations.

This beautifully shot film gives a rare insight of what it's really like to be transgender in the UK today. It's poignant, funny and moving as well as being hard-hitting and truthful.  I can't wait to see the whole film!           Katie Neeves, Founder, Cool2BTrans

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We are looking for patrons, sponsors, and backers to help us get the film edited and released in the cinema as part of an impact campaign. With your help we can get the film screened in cinemas around the UK, in festivals worldwide and by community groups.

This is an opportunity for you or your organisation to show its support for promoting inclusivity and understanding within society, the workplace and beyond.  Your suppport for the documentary will help the battle to reinstate trans rights in the light of  the Supreme Court judgment of April 16th 2025.

Corporate patrons and sponsors will be able to showcase their support through a range of benefits, such as your organisation's logo in the end credits of the film, prominent "thank you" credits and invitations to premiere screenings.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR FORTHCOMING CROWDFUNDER to find out how you can take this forward  - or contact:

Alison:   alison.rooper@infocusproductions.co.uk  

Sandra: sandra@sandslatefilms.com                 

WHO WE ARE

Alison Rooper (she/her) Director Alison worked for years making documentaries for TV before setting up as an independent. She is passionate about defending human rights and exposing the hypocrisy of the powerful In society	Sandra Leeming (they/them) Producer Sandra Leeming is based in Glasgow where they produce feature documentaries for cinema. They spent years production managing hundreds of TV programmes for UK and international broadcasters.	Hattie Beanland (she/her) Director of Photography Hattie shoots feature films and  documentaries in the UK and US. With a masters in cinematography from  the American Film Institute Conservatory, she is part of an international collective providing support to women directors of photography.

OUR CONSULTANTS

Christine Burns (she/her) Christine Burns MBE is an author who campaigned for a quarter of a century for the civil rights of transgender people. As an equalities consultant she helped draft new employment legislation and the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, writing the first ever official guidance about trans people for the Department of Health. Her book Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows is considered a comprehensive account of the landmark events which have shaped the transgender community over the last five decades.

Jay Stewart  (He/him) Dr Jay Stewart MBE, is CEO of the trans youth organisation Gendered Intelligence. He is passionate about improving the lives of trans and gender questioning people. GI delivers trans awareness training to LGBT youth workers, teachers and key support workers. Jay acted as an independent adviser to the Ministry of Justice review into the care and management of transgender offenders. He sits on the National Transgender Advisory Board for trans prisoners with the Ministry of Justice.