Bella Ramsey has been one of the most compelling actors working right now since taking on the role of Ellie in HBO’s The Last of Us, and their next chapter is finally almost here. Sunny Dancer, the coming-of-age comedy-drama written and directed by George Jaques, opens in UK and Irish cinemas on August 14 to a wave of strong notices and an active press run that has put Ramsey front and center in the entertainment conversation once again.
Ramsey plays Ivy, a 17-year-old who has beaten leukemia and is 10 months into remission, but is struggling to find her footing again. When her parents sign her up for what she immediately dubs “Chemo Camp,” a summer program specifically designed for cancer survivors called Children Run Free Camp, she braces herself for the worst. What she finds instead is a community of misfits, unexpected friendships, and a summer that changes everything. Director Jaques has been clear about what kind of film he set out to make, describing his intention to put cancer in the background rather than the foreground: “I wanted to make a film where cancer was the least interesting thing about them,” he has said. There is not a single hospital scene in the film.
Joining Ramsey in the cast are Jessica Gunning and James Norton as Ivy’s parents, and Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick, the infectiously enthusiastic camp director whose cheerful persona hides a deeply personal story. Ruby Stokes, Daniel Quinn-Toye, Earl Cave, Conrad Khan, and Jasmine Elcock round out the younger cast, with a musical cameo from James Blunt. The score was composed by Este Haim of HAIM and Zachary Dawes. Principal photography took place at Auchengillan Outdoor Centre near Loch Lomond in Scotland.
The film premiered in February at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival as the opening night selection of the Generation 14plus section, where it received a nomination for the Crystal Bear and drew strong early reviews. Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle singled it out as “a hidden gem” ahead of its premiere. Critics largely agreed. Nikki Baughan of Screen Daily described it as a “confident and upbeat UK teen drama” that “wraps its heavy themes in a peppy, accessible package,” while The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw wrote that “the film has buoyancy and sunshine” and praised Jaques for executing “a smart misdirection-twist.” Christian Zilko of IndieWire said Jaques had “made a bleak subgenre of cinema a little bit sunnier.”
At the center of the praise is Ramsey’s performance. Alex Billington of FirstShowing.net called them “extraordinary in the lead role,” noting that they “handle the weight of it all just right” and balance “the complexity of the character as written, with the dynamic of the whole situation, the cliche angst of being a teen, and her own rebellious attitude.” Loud and Clear Reviews wrote that Ramsey “really excels at letting Ivy’s pain out at exactly the right time” with “highly affecting moments that will stay with you for a long time after the credits roll.” The People’s Movies called it a moving, joyful performance.
The press tour ahead of the UK opening has been just as noteworthy. Ramsey fronted the cover of The Guardian Saturday Magazine this month, with a profile that framed the role as a turning point in their career and described Sunny Dancer as one of the more grounded parts they have taken since playing Ellie in The Last of Us. The profile confirmed what Ramsey has said elsewhere about the experience of making the film: in an interview published earlier this month at Loud and Clear Reviews, Ramsey and Harris opened up about what it was like to make the film together. Ramsey described shooting the emotionally charged final scenes as “the best six weeks of my life so far,” recounting a remarkable moment in which they found themselves watching behind-the-scenes footage from the production and tearing up before a camera had even started rolling. Harris, for his part, talked about making a deliberate effort to stay embedded with the cast and crew throughout production, arriving early to rehearsals and spending time with the younger cast between takes. “I really felt included,” he said, noting that the experience helped rectify a feeling of isolation he carried from a previous project. Both performances have clearly been shaped by a shoot that left a lasting impression on everyone involved.
The film received additional festival exposure ahead of its theatrical run, serving as the opening selection of the 56th Giffoni Film Festival in July and screening at the Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire in August. The Teenage Cancer Trust also announced a partnership with the film, adding an advocacy dimension to its rollout.
For US audiences, there is still no firm release date on the horizon. As we covered previously here on Trevor Decker News, Quiver Distribution acquired North American rights to Sunny Dancer and has announced plans for a theatrical release. With the kind of reception the film is generating in the UK, that release cannot come soon enough.