A THEN 24-YEAR-OLD TOOK ON CHARTER BOATS,
BECAME THE SKIPPER OF THE FIRST-EVER
ALL-FEMALE CREW
TO ENTER THE WHITBREAD ROUND THE WORLD IN 1989.
NOW, TRACY'S INSPIRATIONAL DREAM AND JOURNEY IS A NEW FILM CALLED
"MAIDEN," AND HERE IS A SNEAK PEEK.
SAILING AT THAT TIME WAS VERY MALE DOMINATED,
AND THERE WERE JUST NO WOMEN ANYWHERE IN IT.
THE WHITBREAD ROUND THE WORLD RACE, AT 33,000 MILES,
IS THE LONGEST AND MOST CHALLENGING ON EARTH.
I WANTED TO GET PAST THIS. I REMEMBER GOING TO THE SKIPPER,
THERE WEREN'T ANY TEAMS IN THE WORLD THAT WERE GIRLS,
AND THAT'S WHEN I MADE THE DECISION
TO PUT AN ALL-FEMALE CREW INTO THE RACE.
AND JOINING US NOW IS SAILING CAPTAIN,
TRACY EDWARDS AND THE DIRECTOR OF MAIDEN, ALEX HOLMES.
WELCOME. WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
SO, TRACY, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DO THIS RACE
AND HOW DID YOU THINK OF AN ALL-FEMALE TEAM?
WELL, I DID THE '85-'86 WHITBREAD
ROUND THE WORLD RACE WITH 17 MEN.
OKAY. THAT SHOULD JUST ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT AWAY.
I GOT YOU. YEAH. I GOT YOU.
I MEAN, IT'S GREAT FUN AND THEY TAUGHT ME LOADS,
AND I DID LEARN MORE ABOUT SAILING THAN I EVER IN MY LIFE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BIT SMELLY.
AND SO I ALSO, BEING SERIOUS, REALIZED
I WAS 230 CREW IN THIS RACE AND THREE OF US WERE GIRLS,
AND I JUST THOUGHT, WOW, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY WRONG WITH THIS.
I ALSO WANTED TO NAVIGATE,
AND I THOUGHT THERE'S NO WAY A BUNCH OF GUYS
ARE GOING TO LET ME ON THEIR BOAT AS A NAVIGATOR,
SO THE WORLD LOOKS LIKE THIS
AND I NEED IT TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHING ELSE,
SO I CHANGED MY WORLD AND I CREATED AN ALL-FEMALE CREW
IN WHICH I COULD BE NAVIGATOR.
WOW, WHAT -- I MEAN, WHAT DRIVE AND DETERMINATION.
WHEN YOU STARTED OUT DOING THIS YOU WERE YOUNG.
YOU HAD A BUNCH OF YOUNG WOMEN AROUND YOU.
WHAT SET IN WHEN YOU SAID, OKAY, I'M REALLY DOING THIS?
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DREAMS.
RIGHT. BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DO IT,
SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE, OH, MY GOD, I ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO IT.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. OKAY.
WHEN ALL THESE WOMEN TURN UP, GOING, RIGHT,
WE'RE READY TO GO RACING. OH, OKAY.
I GUESS I HAVE TO DO THIS NOW. BUT FOR US,
I THINK IT BECAME MORE THAN OUR OWN PERSONAL DREAMS
WHEN WE REALIZED HOW HARD IT WAS GOING TO BE.
PEOPLE KEPT TELLING US, YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
YOU'RE GOING TO DIE.
IT WASN'T LIKE, YOU MIGHT. YOU WILL DIE.
SO, IT WAS ALL THIS SORT OF STUFF COMING AT US,
AND I THINK THEN WE REALIZED,
WE'RE NOT JUST DOING THIS FOR US,
WE'RE DOING THIS FOR ALL WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
AND WHAT REALLY DROVE US AND DIDN'T ALLOW US TO GIVE UP
WAS THE THOUGHT THAT IF WE DON'T DO THIS,
THE WOMEN THAT COME AFTER US,
YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE LIKE A STONE AROUND THEIR NECK.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL BE GOING, OH, SEE, THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
THEY DIDN'T DO IT, SO YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO.
SO YOU WERE DRIVEN BY SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF?
OH, YEAH. YEAH. DEFINITELY, IN THE END,
IT BECAME FOR ALL WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
AND, ALEX, HOW DID YOU COME TO MEET TRACY?
I JUST MET TRACY WHEN SHE CAME TO GIVE A TALK
ABOUT MY DAUGHTER'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
AND I KNEW STRAIGHTAWAY THAT SHE WAS A REMARKABLE CHARACTER.
I MEAN, TRACY HAS SUCH ENERGY AND DRIVE.
AND AS SHE STARTED TO TELL HER STORY,
I COULD SEE ALL THESE 11-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN RAPT,
BUT ALSO THE GROWNUPS WHO WERE THERE FOR THIS EVENING'S EVENT
WERE ALSO KIND OF ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS,
SO I ALSO KNEW THERE WAS A FILM IN TRACY'S STORY.
WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW AT THAT TIME
WAS THAT THEY HAD CAMERAS ONBOARD THE WHOLE WAY AROUND,
AND THAT, OBVIOUSLY, TRANSFORMED IT.
BECAUSE I HAD FIRST IMAGINED IT AS MAYBE SOME SORT OF DRAMA.
BUT THEN THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT AS A DOCUMENTARY WAS A GIFT,
BECAUSE MY FIRST LOVE IS DOCUMENTARIES.
AND THE FOOTAGE IS AMAZING.
I MEAN, WHAT THEY MANAGED TO ACHIEVE
AND WHAT THEY MANAGED TO CAPTURE,
EVEN THE FILMING WAS A FEAT IN ITSELF.
RIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A THRILL TO GET INVOLVED
AND TO MEET THE REST OF THE CREW AND TO TELL THEIR STORY.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU NEED THAT NATURAL REACTION
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU GUYS WERE GOING THROUGH,
SO I LOVE THAT ALL THAT ORIGINAL FILM IS IN THERE. ABSOLUTELY.
I WAS JUST THINKING THE RAW EMOTION THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GET,
YOU CANNOT RECREATE THAT ON THE SCREEN.
NO. BUT I UNDERSTAND, LIKE,
IT MUST HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT OR DIFFERENT
WINNING THIS AMAZING FEAT AS AN ALL-FEMALE TEAM,
BUT HAVING A MALE DIRECTOR.
HE SAID HE HAS A DAUGHTER, THOUGH,
SO HE CAN DRAW FROM THAT FEMALE ENERGY.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TEAMING WITH A MAN
TO TELL THE STORY OF THESE WOMEN?
WELL, ALEX HAS A REALLY GREAT FEMININE SIDE TO HIM.
[LAUGHING].
ALEX IS ACTUALLY AN HONORARY MAIDEN,
WHICH HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT YET. CONGRATULATIONS. I'M HONORED.
I THINK THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS FILM
IS IT'S NOT ABOUT MEN OR WOMEN.
IT IS ABOUT A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT CAME TOGETHER
TO DO SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T,
AND IT'S ABOUT OVERCOMING ODDS,
AND IT'S ABOUT FIGHTING THE BATTLE
AND, REALLY, AS ALEX SAYS, QUITE OFTEN MAKING THIS FILM,
WHAT HE REALIZED WAS THIS IS ABOUT TEAMWORK.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, I DO THINK WOMEN ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD AT THAT.
I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT SO MUCH ON THE GUYS' BOAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE WERE NO SORT OF ARMS AROUND SHOULDERS GOING,
YOU'RE OKAY, MATE, YOU KNOW.
THERE WAS NONE OF THAT, YOU KNOW.
WHEREAS ON THE GIRLS' BOAT, YOU KNOW,
IF WE EVER FELT A BIT DOWN, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD ALWAYS
SOMEONE THERE GOING "CUP OF TEA, YOU KNOW."
SO, THAT KIND OF RUNS THROUGH IT.
AND I DON'T THINK I EVER REALLY THOUGHT OF --
SORRY, I DIDN'T THINK OF ALEX BEING A MAN.
THAT'S GREAT. HE WAS A FILM DIRECTOR.
HE WAS VERY DRAWN TO OUR STORY, AND THE WAY HE TALKED ABOUT IT
WHEN HE FIRST SPOKE TO ME, I THOUGHT, YEAH, HE GETS THIS.
HE GETS THIS. AND I SHOULD SAY, YOU KNOW,
THAT FILMS DON'T JUST GET MADE BY ONE PERSON. YEAH.
RIGHT. I'M JUST ONE PERSON. I HAPPEN TO BE PART OF A TEAM.
I HAPPEN TO BE THE TIP OF THE SPEAR OF THAT TEAM,
BUT I'M PART OF A TEAM.
AND I HAD AN AMAZING PRODUCER, VICTORIA GREGORY,
AND I HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE EDITOR, KATIE BRYER,
AND I THINK ANYBODY WHO SEES THE FILM REALIZES
JUST HOW CAREFULLY
SHE'S CHOSEN THE WAY THE PICTURES ARE PUT TOGETHER.
IT'S REALLY AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT.
SO, WE SAW YOU BREAK THROUGH THOSE BARRIERS.
BUT, THESE DAYS, WE STILL HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT WOMEN AND SPORTS.
AND JUST NOW, WITH THE U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM,
YOU KNOW, EARNING MORE MONEY FROM THEIR GAMES
THAN MEN BUT GETTING PAID LESS.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE STATE
THAT FEMALES ARE IN SPORTS RIGHT NOW?
WELL, I DON'T THINK WE'VE COME FAR ENOUGH,
AND I THINK THAT'S THE REALLY SAD THING.
YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY 30 YEARS LATER,
OH, YEAH, EVERYTHING'S CHANGED, YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S ALL DIFFERENT.
I THINK ON THE SURFACE IT SEEMS TO HAVE CHANGED,
AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPONSORS NOW FOR WOMEN'S FOOTBALL,
WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
BUT AS YOU SAY, THEY DON'T EARN AS MUCH AS THE MEN.
NOWHERE, ANYWHERE,
IN ANY WALK OF LIFE DO WOMEN EARN AS MUCH AS MEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS BROUGHT TO UK MORE IN THE '70S,
AND IT'S STILL NOT HAPPENING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING AT THE MOMENT,
AS MAIDEN IS NOW SAILING AROUND THE WORLD AGAIN
IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF HER LIFE,
WE'RE FUNDRAISING FOR THAT.
AND THE DIFFERENCES THAT 30 YEARS AGO
PEOPLE SAID, NO, VERY QUICKLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPONSOR YOU.
30 YEARS LATER, THERE'S SORT OF LITTLE TICK-BOX
EXERCISE THAT GOES ON. YES, WE'LL TALK TO YOU
BECAUSE YOU'RE A WOMAN IN SPORTS, AND WE TICK.
YES, WE DO APPRECIATE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
AND GIRL'S EDUCATION, TICK. ARE WE GOING TO SPONSOR YOU?
NO, WE'RE GOING TO SPONSOR MEN'S WHATEVER, YOU KNOW.
SO, THERE'S A SURFACE THING GOING ON,
WHICH ISN'T REALLY BACKED UP BY WHAT'S HAPPENING UNDERNEATH,
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING.
I AM SLIGHTLY FILLED WITH OPTIMISM AND HOPE,
THOUGH, WHEN I DO LOOK AT MY DAUGHTER'S GENERATION
AND HOW LITTLE THEY SEE --
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND EQUALITY.
YOUNG BOYS GO, WELL, OF COURSE, GIRLS ARE EQUAL.
WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE? THAT IS THE PROBLEM. YEAH.
AND I WANT TO TELL THE FOLKS AT HOME,
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT TRACY AND HOW HER MOTHER
WAS A GROUNDBREAKING PERSON WHO INSPIRED HER.
I TRULY THINK THIS WAS YOUR DESTINY,
AND I THANK BOTH OF YOU TO BRINGING TO THE BIG SCREEN
FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INSPIRED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAIDEN IS OUT TODAY, JULY 5TH.