Film-maker Caroline Rowland has secured permission from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to make an official movie of the London 2012 Summer Games. 

 

Called “First”, Rowland will write, produce and direct the project.

 

Rowland, who wrote and produced the London 2012 Olympic bid films which helped the city securing the right to host the Games, is planning to tell the story of the games through the eyes of 12 first-time Olympic athletes, following their journey from training through to participation in the event.

 

Official films of The Olympics have, previously, been made by the legendary Bud Greenspan. But with his recent death, Rowland wanted to make sure the traditional would survive.

 

Rowland”s company New Moon gets to hold the rights to the film for seven years, at which point they revert to the IOC for its archive. She plans to distribute the film via theatrical and TV and is hoping it will be ready by the BFI London Film Festival in October. On TV, the likely destination is the BBC, which is UK rights holders of the Games and has first refusal.

 

On New Moon”s website, the last tweet says that the production is currently in Seattle visiting the gym where US female boxer Queen Underwood started her career. Three Brits covered by the film include handball player Holly Lam-Moores, sprinter James Ellington and cycling phenomenon Laura Trott, heavily tipped to win medals at London 2012.