New documentary on gay footballer celebrated at Football Pride Premiere

A powerful new documentary about former professional footballer Tony Powell drew acclaim at its Northern U.K. premiere during Football v Homophobia’s annual Football Pride event in Leeds.

“The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel” was shown at the Hyde Park Picture House, supported by Leeds Queer Film Festival and sponsored by the Premier League. More than 100 attendees gathered for the screening, introduced via video message by former Leeds United player and co-producer Robbie Rogers, who expressed his excitement at presenting the completed film in the city where he once played.

The documentary, directed by Ramiel Petros and Nick Freeman, follows Powell, once Norwich City’s Player of the Season, who left England in 1981 and severed contact with family and friends. Years later, he is found living at the Holloway Motel in West Hollywood, where he shares a story shaped by football, sexuality, estrangement and the possibility of emotional repair.

After the screening, guests moved to the Brudenell Social Club for a networking social, before the Football Pride contingent joined supporters’ group Marching Out Together at the front of the Leeds Pride parade on Sunday 19 July. Regional LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups were credited for helping bring the weekend together, Sports Media LGBT+ reports.

A panel discussion examined the film’s impact and the wider state of LGBTQ inclusion in the game. Speakers included:

• Joanie Evans, co-founder of Hackney Women’s Football Club, Europe’s first out lesbian team, former Co-President of the Federation of Gay Games and recipient of the Football v Homophobia Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Stephen “Wiggy” Wignal, long-time chair of Marching Out Together, Leeds United’s official LGBTQ+ supporters’ group and National Diversity Awards finalists.
• Baz Sido, co-chair of Yorkshire Terriers FC, one of the UK’s longest-running inclusive football clubs, offering LGBTQ+ players a secure and affirming space since 1997.

Panellists highlighted the emotional strength of Powell’s story and described how narratives like his help develop more inclusive environments in football. They shared personal experiences of marginalisation, visibility and community-building across the men’s, women’s and grassroots game, stressing that representation and storytelling remain central to progress.

Reflecting on the weekend, Sido described the event as a privilege to attend and praised the energy of both the screening and the Leeds Pride parade. He thanked organisers, volunteers and participants and expressed eagerness for future initiatives that connect LGBTQ communities with football culture.

Following the successful Leeds premiere, “The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel” will receive a limited U.K. run. London audiences can see the film at the Arzner Cinema in Bermondsey Square on the evening of Saturday 22 August, with tickets already on sale.

Speaking to Pop Culture Confidential, co-director Petros noted the lengthy process behind the film’s production. He emphasised the importance of introducing Powell’s story to broad audiences and highlighted a strong commitment to honouring the subject’s life and legacy as the documentary continues to reach new viewers.

Stories like Powell’s continue to show why visible, affirming spaces remain essential for LGBTQ people in sport and in the workplace. For those who want to connect with inclusive employers and a global LGBTQ professional community, myGwork provides a practical next step - signing up can help turn the values seen on screen into everyday reality.

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