GTFO is confronting, frightening and, at times, disheartening, yet it’s ultimately optimistic and needs to be seen. Directed and produced by Shannon Sun-Higginson, GTFO delves into the systematic and institutionalised discrimination and misogyny present in the video game world. From the perpetuating cycle of the gaming industry’s “boys’ club” and the sexualised and objectified presentation of the female form, to the shocking treatment of the female gamer online, Sun-Higginson crafts an intensely distressing portrait of life as a female gamer.

Yet despite what could easily have been a merciless crusade against wrongdoers is, instead, a surprisingly objective and balanced investigation into the root causes that result in such a culture. Assembling an array of casual and professional gamers, game designers, and creators, Sun-Higginson allows each to tell their story, providing valuable perspectives that are all too often silenced.

Beginning its life as a Kickstarter project, the film’s low budget hurts, but it’s by no means a barrier to achieving its goals. In fact, the film creatively and cleverly delights in its unsophisticated approach, at times utilising rudimentary gaming graphics to cheekily highlight the challenges facing female gamers.

What may outwardly appear as a depressing presentation of a haunting reality is, in fact, precisely where the value of the film lies, and this is something that should be celebrated. This documentary is, in the end, about starting a conversation, and a dialogue. It is about bringing awareness to something that so desperately needs it. As one commentator in the film says: “That’s where the human aspect comes in. If you can explain these more human stories, you can produce empathy, and if you can produce empathy, maybe then they will bend their ear and try and understand.”

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