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Project Detail

Dance of Identity

Sandi and Sophie
Sophie at the barre
Sandi and Sophie - just married
Sopie with Sandi, the baby and the dog Lola

Synopsis

Filmed over seven years in England and the United States, Dance of Identity is an intimate, powerful portrait of love, resilience, and family against the backdrop of a global culture war. The documentary follows Sophie, a British trans woman and amateur ballet dancer, and her partner Sandi, as they build a life together. From Sophie’s triumphant public ballet performances to the couple’s fairytale wedding and the high-stakes birth of their child, their personal joys constantly clash with a shifting political landscape. As politicians and media headlines weaponise trans existence, the couple faces rising hostility, social media attacks, and legal threats to Sophie’s fundamental rights. Yet, through nine years of waiting for gender-affirming healthcare and navigating bureaucratic hurdles, theirs is a story of defiant hope. Dance of Identity reveals the profound impact of political rhetoric on the private sanctuary of a family, ultimately celebrating the triumph of love over systemic adversity.
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Details

Year
2027
Type of project
Features
Running time
91:00
Format
HD
Director
Alison Rooper 1st Feature
Producer
Sandra Leeming, Alison Rooper
Executive Producer
Christopher Hird, Sukey Venables Fisher
Editor
Bonnie Rae Brickman
Director of Photography
Hatti Beanland
Sound
Hatti Beanland
Assistant producers
Martha Bailey, Leanne Hayman, Thalia Kent-Egan
Archive Research
Thalia Kent-Egan, Lyra Dean,
Additional Camera
Kate Harvest, Esteban Uyarra, James Dawson, Abigail Timmins, Ben Browne, Jenni Suitiala, John Hoare

Genre

Human Rights LGBTQIA+ Scottish Woman Director

Categories

Documentary

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

In Focus Productions

Alison Rooper
23 Tileyard Road
London
N7 9AH

Sandslate Films Ltd

Sandra Leeming
2/2 6 Niddrie Square
Glasgow
G42 8QE

Sales Company

Dartmouth Films

Somerset House
Strand
London
WC2R 1LA

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