TOPS, is a genre-busting documentary inspired by the chaotic, brash and clueless style of 90s British TV, that allows audiences to ask the question burning everyone’s lips...“What TOP did you wanna wear after TOP surgery?”
Ames Pennington plays an intrusive TV presenter who delves into the lives of four individuals who’ve had TOP surgery in a desperate attempt for the presenter to make their first-ever trans friend. These four interviewees include a powerlifter and gay-games Olympian hopeful, a housing-officer-come-actor, an Essex filmmaker, and an equality diversity & inclusion specialist-slash-occasional model. They open up their lives,homes and, in one case, bag of dicks, to the invasive, neurotic and yet loveable Ames Pennington.
Yet through their encounters with the interviewees,TOPS does so more than simply ask and answer this question. As well as the heart-filled yet hilarious interviews, it also explores the life of the desperate and lonely version oft heartist who is willing to steal foot wear and camp out in the gardens of interviewees for ultimate unencumbered access.
With abrupt gut busting comedy juxtaposed against tenderness, TOPS allows for conversations around the vulnerability of top surgery with those who've had it without adding to the pile of sad or gory Trans stories displayed in the mainstream media. Yes, your nipples might fall off – but you can still have a lol.
TOPS premiered at BFI Flare Festival 2024, where it was named as one of both the Evening Standard and AnOther Mag’s Top 10 picks of the festival. TOPS won the Audience Award for Best Feature at Bradford Queer Film Festival and it was long listed for a BIFA Raindance Maverick Award 2024.
TOPS is a GREY MOTH production and has been co-commissioned by Homotopia, Studio Voltaire and Islington Mill with funding from Arts Council England.
If you are interested in screening TOPS please get in touch.
Directed by Ames Pennington, Jos Bitelli
Written and edited by Ames Pennington
Cinematographer: Jos Bitelli
Producers: For The Uncultured Ash Bowmott, Laura Sweeney. For Grey Moth Archie Sinclair
Executive Producer: Ames Pennington
FEATURING: Maz Murray, Yaz Senghor, Elliot Davis, Oskar Marchock
Cam Operators: Tilly Garland, Samara Addai
Camera assistant: Rowan Needham
Sound Recordists: Toby Burroughs, Felix Waverley-Hudson
Costume design: Jordan Taylor + Threadmaidens
Production assistants: Roshana Rubin Mayhew, Emma Edmondson, Lowri Evans
Additional editors: Jos Bitelli, Sophie Chapman, Jessica Crooks, Noemi Varga
Sound Edit: Felix Waverley-Hudson
Graphics: Alex Lundström, Mikala Georgia Grante, Sophie Mallett
Post Producer: Noémie TJ Phillipson at Digital Orchard
Colourist: Luis Reggiardo at Digital Orchard
Access Consultant: Abi Palmer
PR: Lover Management, Joe Nerssessian
Music: Rubie, Planningtorock
N.S.T.S.N Host: Jaye Hudson
Guests: Serena Morgan, Pecs Education, Mr Lez
Camera Operators: Archie Sinclair, Will Hazell, Arie Priede, Judah Meade
Production: Design Jordan Taylor
Art Assistant: Cath Shayler
Editors: Archie Sinclair, Ka Ki Wong
Graphics: Mikala Georgia Grante, Alfie Millar
BFI Flare Festival, (and included in Best of Fest additional screenings), London, UK, Mar 2024
Kashish Pride Film Festival, Mumbai, India, May 2024
Translations Film Festival, Seattle, USA, Jun 2024
Queer Vision, Bristol, UK, Jul 2024
GAZE Film Festival, Dublin, Ireland, Aug 2024
Supernormal Festival, Oxfordshire, UK, Aug 2024
Scene LGBTQIA+ TV + Film Festival, Manchester, UK, Aug 2024
aGLIFF, Texas, USA, Aug 2024
Finge! Queer Film Festival, London, UK, Sep 2024
NEWFEST LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, New York, USA, Oct 2024
Crossings, Norway, Oct 2024
Bradford Queer Film Festival, Bradford, UK, Nov 2024
Leeds Queer Film Festival, Leeds, UK, 2025
Out on Screen' LGBTQ+ Film Festival at University Wisconsin, USA, March, 2025
TITE Trans Film Festival, Dublin, Ireland, April, 2025