Greg Louganis documentary needs money push to have film produced

Greg Louganis attended the London Olympics as athlete-mentor to U.S. diving, the first Games he has attended since 1996. The openly gay, four-time gold medal winner worked with the divers the past two years and is given credit for helping the U.S. team win four medals, including gold for David Boudia in the men's platform. Bouia thanked Louganis after his win.

Also on hand were the producers of a documentary chronicling Louganis' life, the ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies. With an Aug. 22 deadline looming, they are $8,000 short of their goal of raising $50,000 to keep the film going. A Kickstarter campaign has 428 backers and they need more in six days.

Greg Louganis attended the London Olympics as athlete-mentor to U.S. diving, the first Games he has attended since 1996. The openly gay, four-time gold medal winner worked with the divers the past two years and is given credit for helping the U.S. team win four medals, including gold for David Boudia in the men's platform. Bouia thanked Louganis after his win.

Also on hand were the producers of a documentary chronicling Louganis’ life, the ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies. With an Aug. 22 deadline looming, they are $8,000 short of their goal of raising $50,000 to keep the film going. A Kickstarter campaign has 428 backers and they need more in six days.

Director Cheryl Furjanic sent us this update on the film (where you can watch a trailer):

“Back on Board Greg Louganis,” the documentary film in the works about Olympic Champion and openly gay pioneer Greg Louganis, took an incredible turn this past weekend when David Boudia won the gold medal for 10m Platform Diving. Louganis was the athlete mentor for USA Diving’s 2012 Olympic team.

The filmmakers need support to finish the film. They are utilizing the innovative crowd-funding website Kickstarter to help finance the production. Anyone can be a part of this exciting project by pledging whatever they can afford. The Kickstarter campaign ends on August 22nd at 10 a.m.

For over a year, filmmakers Cheryl Furjanic and Will Sweeney have been filming Greg and his return to diving as a mentor to US Olympic divers competing at the 2012 London Games.

The last time an American man won on the platform was in 1988, when Greg Louganis captured gold. After winning, Boudia talked about Louganis and his contribution to the sport in the United States.

"To be in the record books alongside Greg Louganis, the greatest diver in the entire world, Olympic legend, is amazing,” said Boudia. “He's had so much support for USA Diving.

"To have Greg Louganis back in USA Diving and just being an athlete mentor means a lot for all of us athletes to know that we have an Olympic legend just giving us his wisdom, sharing his stories and who better person to have than Greg."

Louganis has mentored the U.S. divers, who entered the London Games in a bit of a rut. The women had not won a medal since 2000, while the men’s drought extended back to 1996.

“It was amazing to be at the Olympics with Greg Louganis for this historic achievement. I keep pinching myself that we captured all this unbelievable footage,” said director Cheryl Furjanic.

Producer Will Sweeney said, “This gives our film the most incredible ending that any filmmaker could dream of.”

Olympic Champion Greg Louganis is considered by many to be the greatest diver of all time. Furjanic and Sweeney are making a feature-length independent documentary about Louganis to highlight his heroic personal story.

“Back on Board Greg Louganis” is an engrossing story about an American legend on the cusp of a comeback. This film reveals Louganis’ evolution from childhood diving prodigy to Olympic champion, and from pioneering openly gay athlete with HIV to a sometimes forgotten sports icon. His recent return to diving as a mentor to US Olympic divers competing at the 2012 London Games provides an exciting new chapter to his life-story.