Touching Short Film Imagines If Michael Jordan Was a Woman for IWD

A group of independent Melbourne-based filmmakers have launched an online film tribute titled Dear Michelle, that aims to spark conversation around representation and celebrate the power and passion female role models bring to the world of sports - to coincide with International Women’s Day.

Directed by Exit Films director Bonnie Moir, produced by freelance producer Olivia Cheung, production designed by Bianca Milani and edited by The Editors’ Leila Gaabi, Dear Michelle takes us on a journey in an alternate reality where in 1996, amidst the hype of Chicago Bulls dominating NBA, the biggest sporting star in the world is Michelle Jordan, not Michael Jordan - how would that impact young girls aspiring to be like their heroes?

Featuring young local basketball players Sitaya Fagan as Grace, Kayleigh O’Dwyer as Gloria and Sida Basketball coach Saratu Isah in the role of Michelle Jordan, Dear Michelle celebrates the empowerment that visible role models provide to aspiring young athletes.

“I feel so strongly about the representation of women in sporting roles and what this offers to young people growing up. This piece speaks to a much broader conversation, not only about visibility of women in sport, but the intersectional visibility of women in the workplace, our political representatives and more personally for me, equal representation of women in lead roles within the film industry. With this film, I want to celebrate the strength and resilience of women who I’ve learned from by looking up to,” said director Bonnie Moir.

Producer Olivia Cheung, said: “Why is it today that the biggest female sports star in the world, and probably of all time, still gets paid a fraction of what her male counterparts do? Why is it that Sam Kerr, who is probably the greatest female soccer player this country has ever produced, playing for a team ranked 6th in the world still plays international tournaments at stadiums at home with an attendance that can't crack 10k spectators?”

“We’re having the same conversations in the sports arena, as well in every other aspect of life - the presence and visibility of female role models is a social responsibility of the bigger players in the game, including sponsors, investors, media and PR, in tackling issues like pay gaps and increasing numbers of the general public to attend and view women’s sports,” she said.