Hannah Congdon, Somina Fombo and Daisy Ifama chosen to produce shows on women’s sport

TNT Sports & Warner Bros. Discovery Access' Reframe The Game winners

TNT Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Access have revealed the three directors chosen as part of their Reframe The Game initiative, Broadcast Sport can report. 

Launched last year, Reframe The Game challenged UK-based female filmmakers to submit short documentary concepts on women’s sport. Ten filmmakers were shortlisted from the entries, and took part in a professional development week designed to give them access and exposure to sports production and unscripted storytelling.

Sessions included personal branding workshops, training delivered by Media Trust and Channel 4 News presenter Keme Nzerem on best interview practice, and industry deep dives with WBD’s Bentley Weiner, SVP HBO sport documentaries; Scott Young, SVP content, production and business operations at WBD Sports; and Rebecca Diver Phillips, VP marketing WBD UK & Ireland and TNT Sports.

Hannah Congdon, Somina Fombo and Daisy Ifama were then selected to produce their films, after a pitch to a judging panel of industry experts at the end of the week. The panel included WBD executive producer Kevin Evans and TNT Sports MotoGP presenter Suzi Perry. These films will be shown on TNT Sports on the same day as the UEFA Champions League Final, 31 May. 

Reframe The Game films

The Long Away Game – Directed by Hannah Congdon
A young woman is uprooted from her country in terrifying circumstances. After a headline-hitting evacuation to the UK, she finds a new home and community in a Yorkshire football club.

No Rucks Given! – Directed by Somina Fombo
From muddy grassroots pitches to record-breaking crowds, past players laid the foundations, present players drive the legacy. This is the story of the rise in topflight women’s rugby. Featuring former player of the year at the Guinness National Rugby Awards Laura Kapo, No Rucks Given! uncovers the untold struggles, relentless passion, and game-changing moments that built the women’s club level game.

SET PACE – Directed by Daisy Ifama
SET PACE tells the story of legendary Carol Glenn, Britain’s first black, female motorsports official, as she sets out on a new venture to launch her own race team, breaking boundaries as the first black woman in the UK to do so. This film is a celebration of motorsports, of Black British community, the fight to improve gender, racial and economic difference on the track and what one woman’s lifetime of dedication can do to change the world.

Jen Sobol, director of WBD Access, said: “We are delighted to bring WBD Access and TNT Sports together to collaborate and deliver our newest pipeline programme Reframe the Game. Through the programme we aim to shine a light on these talented Directors who are introducing us to these truly inspirational and creative stories about women in sport.

“A unique part of this programme was giving the entire shortlisted group access to a professional development week which provided an opportunity for growth, building industry knowledge, training and developing longer-term connections, working with our long-standing and valued partner Media Trust and our live sport production teams in hubs across London. The pitches we heard at the end of that week were outstanding, showing breadth and depth of skill and authentic storytelling, and I can’t wait to see Hannah Congdon, Mena Fombo and Daisy Ifama’s films on screen.”

Perry said: “I’ve always been passionate about female representation in sport and sport production, it was fantastic to sit on the pitch panel for Reframe the Game and listen to the filmmakers and their compelling, unique and as yet unheard stories. Showcasing amazing women from across the globe, spanning sports from racing to rugby - I can’t wait to see these films premiere on TNT Sports.”

Young said: “At TNT Sports, we have always looked to tell new and different stories that not only engage our current audiences but capture new viewers interested in unheard narratives from a variety of perspectives. Whether it be behind or in front of the camera, we are proud to support women’s sport and women in sport, from grassroots through to the professional level. These remarkable filmmakers have created content that will resonate with our audiences, with three amazing stories from women’s football, rugby and motorsports, and it will be great to see final films broadcast on the same day as the UEFA Champions League Final.”