Blue Harbor Entertainment has acquired all distribution rights to Wayfarer Studios and Funmeter's “The Helicanes'' and plans to release it in theaters this summer.
Directed by Olivia Quan, this documentary follows the Houston Helicanes, part of the groundbreaking first women's full-tackle football league in the 1970s. This story is personal for Quan. Her mother, Vasia Hazlakiewicz, was a player on the team.
The Houston Helicanes football team had minimal support from the public during the four years it played. And the players were teased and joked about both on and off the field. But somehow, a team of inexperienced women from all walks of life kept at it for as long as finances allowed, and made history.
“We are pioneering an innovative, filmmaker-friendly business model and working with Olivia and the rest of the Hurricanes team to build on this little-known spirit, determination and perseverance. We are excited to bring this story of strength to American audiences this summer with this incredible group of women athletes.'' Blue Harbor Entertainment said in a statement.
In a release promoting the announcement, the filmmakers note that women's football still faces many of the challenges that the Hurricanes experienced 40 years ago. Thanks to Title IX of 1972, a landmark civil rights law that prohibited sexual discrimination in schools, the number of girls and women participating in sports has increased dramatically. But soccer remains something of a final frontier for women in athletics.
“There are now women's tackle football teams all over the country and even more teams around the world,” Quan said. “But even at the highest level, the game remains a paywall for women. Progress has been slow to see, but we have turned a corner in the last five years. Broadcast coverage of women’s sports has increased significantly; W.F.A. [Women’s Football Alliance] The championship game will be aired on ESPN2 on July 27th. Many states across the country have started grassroots programs for women's soccer. And flag football was recently added to her 2028 Olympics. If this momentum continues, women's soccer will soon receive unprecedented attention. ”
The film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in 2023, winning both the Audience Award in the Documentary Spotlight Program and the Lone Star Award in the Special Jury Award. Quan is best known for his cinematography work across narrative and non-fiction works. “The Hurricanes'' will be her directorial debut.
The film is produced by Quan, James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazzate, Lisa France, James Short, Justin Baldoni, Andrew Caloff, Endia Kinney-Stearns, Tracy Ryerson, and Steve Sarowitz. Masu.
Wayfarer Studios' current works include “It Ends With Us” and “A Nice Indian Boy,”” Also features documentaries such as “Will & Harper.” FunMeter's recent documentaries include “Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza” and “McMillion$.”.Blue Harbor will release the horror thriller “Trim Season” in theaters in June.