New film “Remembering France” Celebrates Wales’ Female Football Fans at Euro 2016

Dr Penny Miles from the University of Bath has created a new oral history film, Remembering France (Cofio Ffrainc), which highlights the experiences of Wales’ female football fans during the country’s historic Euro 2016 journey. As Wales qualified for a major tournament for the first time in 58 years and made it all the way to the semi-finals, this film brings to life the stories of the passionate women who traveled to France to support the team.

While only 7-10% of Wales’ away support is made up of women, this film tells the Euro 2016 story entirely through the female voice. Moving away from the usual focus on male fans, Remembering France shines a light on the experiences of sisters, mothers, partners, and daughters who followed Wales’ unforgettable tournament run.

The film draws from 16 interviews with female fans who were in France for the tournament. These stories reflect the joy and passion of watching Wales emerge on the international football stage while celebrating the central role women played in that journey.

They include Welsh comedy writer and performer Esyllt Sears from Aberystwyth who travelled to France with her young family. She said:

“I was with my daughter and she fell asleep, even before the first whistle, she fell asleep. She woke up briefly when Gareth Bale scored that first goal, she just kind of jolted and went straight back to sleep.”

Mared Rhys, who travelled to France with her dad and brother talked about the importance of the Euros. She said:

“Just the feeling of little Wales being at the Euros & all eyes from the whole of Europe, and even countries all over the world were watching the European Championships. Just being able to see Wales put on the map, you just had to pinch yourself sometimes.”

Dr Penny Miles attended Wales’ first major football championship in her lifetime, a pivotal moment that inspired her to gather oral histories from fans of Euro 2016. Her research focuses on both this historic achievement for the Welsh team and the experiences of the female fans who made the journey.

Dr Penny Miles said:

“The project came about during Euro 2016 when my own participation as a female fan was questioned both in relation to my footballing knowledge and my role as a mother, having left my two children at home to support Wales in their match versus Russia in Toulouse.

For the first time as a football fan, I felt outnumbered as a female among the male majority. The study therefore sought to explore other female fan experiences in the national footballing context, but also to celebrate those female fans who had participated in this historic Welsh footballing event, but who had been less visible in that participation.

Remembering France not only commemorates Wales’ incredible achievement at Euro 2016 but also ensures that the experiences of female fans are recognised and remembered. It’s a vital step in giving women their rightful place in football history.”

Remembering France is a tribute to the re-emergence of Welsh football and the women who supported it every step of the way. It celebrates women’s voices and challenges the traditional narratives of football fandom.

Screenings of the film, followed by a Q&A, will take place at Grange Pavilion, Cardiff, on Wednesday, 6th November at 6:45 PM, and at Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham, on Friday, 8th November at 7:00 PM.