LGBTQIA+ Professional Wrestling Documentary OUT IN THE RING Wins Award for Best Canadian Feature at Toronto’s 2022 Inside Out 2SLGBTQIA+ Film Festival.
After a successful in-person World premiere screening at Toronto’s Inside Out 2SLGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Director/Producer Ry Levey’s look at pro wrestling’s history of queer representation, OUT IN THE RING, was awarded the prize Best Canadian Feature by the jury.
Of the award, Mr. Levey said, “Inside Out was the first film festival I attended after coming out 25 years ago. To have it come full circle and win this prize with my first feature film is a true privilege”.
OUT IN THE RING is slated to screen next at Montreal’s World-renowned Fantasia Film Festival in July.
Synopsis:
OUT IN THE RING looks at the history of queer identity in professional wrestling. Using a historical timeline starting from the 1940s and 50’s to the current LGBTQIA+ wrestling explosion with LGBTQIA+ run promotions and talent-focused shows globally, the film interviews the performers, the fans, and writers, exploring aspects of masculinity/ femininity, cultural representation/appropriation, homophobia, and self-representation/openness.
The film features interviews with historians, wrestling legends, and contemporary performers discussing the various characterizations and performers both straight (Gorgeous George, Adrian Street, Adrian Adonis, Goldust) and gay (Pat Patterson, Sandy Parker, Chris Colt, Jim Barnett, Darren Young, Chyna, Chris Kanyon).
Those featured in the film include current “out” pro wrestling stars Charlie Morgan, Mike Parrow, Effy, AC Mack, Billy Dixon, Sonny Kiss, Dani Jordyn, Pollo Del Mar, and The Dark Sheik, plus veterans like Susan “Tex” Green and Scott “Sgt. Dickson” McEwan, now out and telling their story.
These brave performers talk about their start in the business, struggles, and triumphs in and out of the ring.
OUT IN THE RING provides an entertaining, historical look at something taboo and how these trailblazers have set about to survive, thrive and change perceptions in and out of wrestling.
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