ABOUT TRAILBLAZERS
Trailblazers is a Stan Originals short documentary film that tells the amazing story of the fight for equality by Australia’s female footballers.
In the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, ‘Trailblazers’ celebrates the rise of Australian women’s football, from the early days of paying-to-play in front of small crowds to appearing in sold-out stadiums and being watched by over 11 million people at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the largest recorded viewership in Australian television history.
TRAILBLAZERS WHO APPEAR IN THE FILM
In order of appearance
Karen Menzies
Cap 30, debut 1983
Teagan Micah
Cap 212, debut 2021
Mary Fowler
Cap 202, debut 2018
Katrina Gorry
Cap 183, debut 2012
Ava Fisher
Junior Player
Renaye Iserief
Cap 26, debut 1983
Leigh Wardell
Cap 11, debut 1979
Heather Reid AM
Pioneer Football Administrator
Tommy Sermanni
National Women’s Team Coach
1994-97 & 2005-12
Melissa Barbieri
Cap 120, debut 2002
Moya Dodd AO
Cap 42, debut 1986
Maggie Murphy
CEO Lewes Football Club, Equality Advocate
Samantha Lewis
Women’s Football Journalist
Tracie McGovern
Cap 102, debut 1997
Julie Dolan AM
Cap 1, debut 1979
First Captain
Kyah Simon
Cap 157, debut 2007
Emily Gielnik
Cap 182, debut 2012
Caitlin Foord
Cap 175, debut 2011
Lydia Williams
Cap 138, debut 2005
Shelley Youman
Cap 95, debut 1996
Kerry Harris
Chair, Women Onside (2023) Women’s Football Advocacy
Steph Catley
Cap 177, debut 2012
Lucy Zelić
Sports Presenter & Journalist
Hayley Raso
Cap 179, debut 2012
Sam Kerr
Cap 168, debut 2009 Current Captain
Laura Brock
Cap 171, debut 2010
Clare Polkinghorne
Cap 140, debut 2006
Alanna Kennedy
Cap 178, debut 2012
Kate Gill
Cap 127, debut 2004 Co-CEO Professional Footballers Australia
Tameka Yallop
Cap 148, debut 2007
Craig Foster AM
Cap 419 Men’s National Team, debut 1996 Sports and Human Rights Advocate
Prof. Simone Fullagar
Griffith University Academic Advisor
Elise Kellond-Knight
Cap 153, debut 2007
Ellie Carpenter
Cap 197, debut 2016
Chloe Logarzo
Cap 188, debut 2013
CO-DIRECTORS’ STATEMENT
Maggie Eudes: I’m a footballer, currently playing for Boroondara Eagles FC in the Victorian top league. Back in mid 2020, in the lead up to Australia & New Zealand being announced as co-hosts of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023,I thought how cool would it be to create a piece of work about women’s football. I love the game and I know the struggle of the women who forged that path. I also knew of Maggie Miles’ work so I got in touch.
Maggie Miles: A trusted female friend introduced Maggie E and I, that’s always a good start. I was aware of the Australian women’s football team and could see that the upcoming World Cup was a moment of significance for the broader story of gender equality. I started researching the players and basically thought, I need these women in my life. They’re incredible!
Maggie Eudes: We knew that we wanted to respect the players’ wishes first and foremost, to only make the film if they were interested in having the story told and the response was overwhelmingly supportive. A key reason for support from all participants is our desire to honour the legends of the game, the women on whose shoulders the current team stands.
Maggie Miles: We wanted to celebrate the achievements of women’s football, no matter the result of the Women’s World Cup. Then what happened during the tournament was outstanding for football. It was a testament to the grit and determination of all female players, especially those who paved the way.
By shining a light on Australia’s amazing women footballers and honouring all those who have played for Australia, shaping the women’s game even as they were pulling on their boots, we hope this film will contribute to a broader gender equality story. That’s certainly why past and present players gave so generously of their time in their extraordinarily busy schedules.
FILM TEAM
Writer Producer Director
(High Ground, Guilty, Paper Planes, Dare To Be Different)
Maggie was based in the Northern Territory for twelve-years where she had an award-wining stint as Artistic Director of Corrugated Iron Youth Theatre and wrote critically acclaimed plays BRANDED and WORRY DOLLS.
In 2015 Maggie wrote and directed the documentary DARE TO BE DIFFERENT with a special version produced for ABC Compass. She co-wrote and produced the feature documentary GUILTY, part Good Pitch Australia’s 2016 intake and Adelaide Film Festival’s HIVE Initiative, winner Best Docudrama ATOM 2018.
Maggie was a script editor and producer on HIGH GROUND, 2021 winner Best Film, Film Critics Circle of Australia, Screen Producers Australia and ATOM Awards. Maggie produced feature dramas VAN DIEMEN’S LAND, 2009, THE TURNING, 2013, PAPER PLANES, 2014, and FORCE OF DESTINY, 2015. All these films have premiered and screened at major international festivals including Berlinale, Toronto, Busan and Sitges, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and CinefestOz.
Maggie is an Asia Pacific Screen Awards Academy, Children’s Film Fund recipient for her first dramatic screenplay in collaboration with award-winning children’s author Boori Monty Pryor.
Maggie Miles
Writer Producer Director
(High Ground, Guilty, Paper Planes, Dare To Be Different)
Writer Producer Director
(Between Two Worlds, Egg, Don’t Leave)
Maggie Eudes is an emerging Director and experienced Director of Photography (DOP) based in Melbourne, born and raised in Paris, France.
She has worked in camera departments across a range of Australian television shows including MUSTANGS F.C. (ABC), FIVE BEDROOMS (Channel 10) and HUNGRY GHOSTS (SBS) as well as sports broadcasting for the Australian Open and the World Surf League.
Maggie has been a DOP and creative consultant on a range of short films such as EGGS, UNDEFINED and DON’T LEAVE as well as several music videos for Melbourne music producer Simba Andrews.
Maggie founded and runs the social impact video production company Milestone Films which works with non-profit organisations and government agencies to tell impact driven screen stories across mental health, refugee advocacy, philanthropy and education.
A passion for Football has taken Maggie around the globe as she played at a semi- professional level in France, Spain and Canada before joining the Australian women’s premier league.
Maggie Eudes
Writer Producer Director DOP
(Between Two Worlds, Egg, Don’t Leave)
Sara Edwards
Editor
(Gatwick – Last Chance Hotel, Not Quite Hollywood, SUZI Q, Finding the Line)
Lucy Maclaren
Producer
(Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears,
People’s Republic of Mallacoota)
Caitriona Fay
Executive Producer
(Managing Partner – Community, Social Investment and ESG, Perpetual)
Kate Gill
Executive Producer
(Co-CEO Professional Footballers Australia, Former Matildas’ captain)
Screen Australia, VicScreen & MECCA M-POWER present ‘TRAILBLAZERS’
A Savage Films, Milestone Films & LM Films production, DOP Maggie Eudes, Editor Sara Edwards
Executive Producers Caitriona Fay & Kate Gill
Producer Lucy Maclaren, Producers-Writers-Directors Maggie Miles & Maggie Eudes
