A dramedy starring The Last of Us’ Bella Ramsey and James Norton has just confirmed a UK release date with a first-look trailer. The British coming-of-age film centres on teen Ivy who, after being given the all-clear following cancer treatment, is sent off to a summer camp for youth affected by cancer or, as she calls it, “chemo camp”.
Written and directed by George Jacques, Sunny Dancer received its world premiere at Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year and is now headed to cinemas, where it’ll be released on 14 August.
Ramsey stars as Ivy, encouraged by parents Karen, played by Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunn, and Bob (Norton) to spend a summer at the camp.
True Brit Entertainment
Related: UK film release dates
Running the project is camp leader Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) who attempts to break through to hostile Ivy as she reluctantly bonds with her campmates, including optimistic Ella (Ruby Stokes), who intends to lose her virginity at “chemo camp”.
“But you’re not my type though…” Ella, who has her sights set on hot counsellor Tristan (Louis Gaunt), tells Ivy one night.
“What a shame,” an eye-rolling Ivy hits back.
The protagonist’s affections lie elsewhere as she gets closer to fellow camper Jake (Daniel Quinn-Toye), with whom she develops a tender connection.
Also starring as Ivy’s new pals are Earl Cave as Ralph, Conrad Khan as Archie, and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Lucy.
Colin J Smith
The film received positive reviews out of Berlinale, with The Upcoming calling it a “must-watch” and “an absolute gem”. RadioTimes wrote that Sunny Dancer is “sharply funny, shrewdly directed and catches the rhythms of teen interactions,” while IndieWire noted that writer-director Jacques “has made a bleak subgenre of cinema a little bit sunnier”.
Describing the movie, the filmmaker said: “I want the audience to laugh till they cry, then actually cry, and walk away with a fresh perspective on how the young, in fighting for life, are seen – not as victims, but as bold, complex, and full of life.”
Sunny Dancer will be released in cinemas on 14 August.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).