The internationally acclaimed biopic of a Bermudian sporting legend, which enthralled local audiences at its Bermuda premiere in April, is coming back after winning over judges as well as crowds at film festivals.

Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story will be screened at several shows next month as well as in schools.

“He is seen as a civil rights pioneer — the international community is paying attention to Bermuda through Clyde,” said Dan Egan, the producer and director of the film.

The feature-length documentary covers Mr Best’s life and career in football, from the Somerset Trojans in his West End youth, to his move to Britain in 1968 to try out for West Ham in the English first division.

His calmness and fortitude in facing down the entrenched racism in football helped change the game and paved the way for other Black players.

Mr Egan said the story would resonate with Bermuda’s schoolchildren after winning the hearts of viewers overseas.

He told The Royal Gazette: “We were overwhelmed with the response in April. We had close to 6,000 people come to see the movie. That’s about as many people who showed up for SailGP; that’s something.

“People called it probably the most important cultural event in a long time, particularly having it show at the Earl Cameron theatre. My goal was to elevate it so that people could fully understand the impact of Clyde around the world.

“When it premiered in London in March, everyone from the BBC on down came — the Crown sent a representative to that event. I wanted to mirror that in Bermuda, and I think we accomplished that in April.

“People kept saying it should show in schools. We’re coming back to the do a community showing and a school showing.”

Transforming the Beautiful Game is set to show on October 6 at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, with two screenings the next day in the Bermuda College and on October 8, followed by two showings on October 9 at the Grotto Bay Beach Resort, and four showings at Media Lounge in Sandys on October 10.

Mr Egan said Mr Best’s aura of authority on sport left overseas media figures starstruck as they took the documentary out on the road.

He said: “During the World Cup, as we toured North America, Clyde became a media authority on the World Cup.

“He slipped into the role of elder statesman, which he is. Clyde saw how the world saw him, and that people wanted to hear from him. That was an important shift for me. At the same time, we started getting a lot of messages from Bermuda asking when we would be coming back.”

With 11 shows spanning five days, the aim is for “another 2,500 to 3,000 people seeing the film, not including schools”, Mr Egan said.

“Clyde has an effect with people. In this day of opinions when everybody wants to be right or wrong, Clyde defuses that. He doesn’t get sucked into these conversations. He gives a perspective of ‘let’s see, let it play out, you never know’. You realise the brilliance of it, and that’s why people like him so much — there’s wisdom in his simplicity.”

He added: “Being an audience favourite at the Roxbury International Film Festival was quite an achievement — that’s one of the top Black film festivals in America. It really shows North America’s interest in learning more about Clyde Best and his impact.

“Getting Best International Film at the 2026 BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta, the birthplace of civil rights in America, really reflected the accomplishments of Clyde and how the Black community has embraced Clyde.”