New documentary offers behind-the-scenes look at birth of the Northern Super League

New documentary offers behind-the-scenes look at birth of the Northern Super League

As the Northern Super League gears up for its first-ever post-season, Michele Hozer's documentary "The Pitch" provides a timely behind-the-scenes look at the making of the women's pro league.

Starting in late 2022, "The Pitch" follows league co-founders Diana Matheson and Thomas Gilbert as they looked to turn their Project 8 blueprint into a reality with the six-team league kicking off earlier this year.

The stress of the journey is plain to see in several scenes.

"Tom and I have been living in a lot of uncertainty for the last 15 months, 16 months," an under-the-gun Matheson says directly to the camera. "And we're sick of it."

Another scene shows Matheson working on her laptop in the passenger seat of a car with wife Anastasia Bucsis behind the wheel.

"She's literally working all the time. All the time," Bucsis, who is listed as an associate producer on the film, tells the camera.

Given the ending to the story was a successful league launch, there are more smiles than frowns. But one marvels at Matheson's drive and determination, the unwavering support of Bucsis and the cool reason of Gilbert.

Matheson says she and Gilbert had been keen on documenting the creation of the league and were introduced to Hozer by Nathalie Cook, a former TSN executive who was an early adviser to Project 8.

"Once we met Michele, we knew we had the right people to follow us along for the journey," Matheson said in an interview.

Hozer's credits include "Shake Hands with The Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire," "Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould," "West Wind: The Vision of Tom Thomson" and "Sugar Coated."

The director had stress of her own, not