The upbeat sports documentary, “Torched,” recounts the efforts of the Austin Torch, an Ultimate Frisbee team for women and non-binary players, to compete in the PUL (Premier Ultimate League). The PUL is a women’s and non-binary division of the sport, recognized outside of the UFA (Ultimate Frisbee Association) — which had been named the AUDL, (American Ultimate Disc League) back in 2018, when the Torch were founded.
The film, directed by Hoag Kepner, the brother of Bonesaw (aka Tim Kepner) one the team’s cofounders, is mostly an hour-long public service ad for the underdog squad. “Torched” features more than a dozen of the female and non-binary players talking about their experiences as part of the team.
While an anecdote about the players getting removed from a flight after an incident in an airport is amusing, most of the stories being told — including having to once wait an hour for a rental car, a wasp living in an outlet box at a stadium, and what meal one of the players ate before a game (Fazoli’s baked spaghetti, because how could anyone not want to know?) — are uninteresting. Some of this content might have viewers thinking “Torched” is a mockumentary, but it is not.
What is valuable is the issue of visibility of women in sports. According to one member of the Torch, women represent 40% of the athletes, but only get only 4% of the exposure. The film addresses the issue of gender equity in sports, and mentions the 2017 boycott of the AUDL, who opted against starting a women’s league. Despite acknowledging that some female athletes play in the male league, the issue does seem glossed over.
Instead, “Torched” celebrates the fact that the team provides a safe space for inclusion and acceptance; half the team identifies as queer, and everyone straight is an ally. Even the Torch’s cisgender white male coach acknowledges the importance of this representation.
Seeing how the players are all there for each other is gratifying, as are clips of the athletes advocating to protect trans kids and run camps for non-binary as well as disabled youth. Moreover, the points made about the confidence and acceptance that sports provides women and queer athletes cannot be overstated. Nor can the need for women to have the opportunity to “play in a professional way.” “Torched” emphasizes this in the interviews with the team members, but it could have dug deeper. When various athletes talk about inspiring young girls, the film delivers.
Surprisingly, there is almost too little footage of the Torch playing the sport they love, and even less discussion of why ultimate frisbee is their sport of choice. The final game of the season does include a nail-biting moment, but much of the “action” is ho-hum.
For the uninitiated, “Torched” feels like inside baseball, as positions, such as “cutter,” are not defined. Viewers are, frustratingly, not going to learn much about ultimate frisbee from this film. Kepner provides only a brief explanation of some of the game’s rules, such as how a player can’t run with a disc after it’s caught; they must stop first and then move.
In addition, the size of the league and its season are never really defined. Footage shows the Torch going on a road trip to Chattanooga, Nashville, and Minnesota, but it is vague how many teams are in the PUL, and what the Torch’s league standing is. While it may be easy to root for the team, it is unclear how good they are. What is enjoyable is seeing how the Torch played the first professional game in Texas against the Colombia Revolution, a team they arranged to fly in and house.
To the film’s credit, the players are all very likable and engaging, and Kepner does capture their camaraderie well. Their chant is “Look good! Feel Good! Play Good!” and that motto sizes them up well. They perform poorly when they lack sleep after a long night, or when one teammate powers through a game after getting food poisoning.
“Torched” runs just over an hour and is a passible time filler for folks with interest in women’s sports, or the PUL. However, this documentary may be best appreciated by those who attend Torch games, which the players admit, can consist of little more than friends, family members, and sponsors.
“Torched” | Directed by Hoag Kepner | Available to rent/own on digital platforms, starting on August 20 | Distributed by Freestyle Digital Media.
