How to see queer actor Bella Ramsey’s new film for free in the cinema
You can see Sunny Dancer for free before it’s official release. (Colin J Smith)
The Last of Us’s Bella Ramsey is the star of coming-of-age comedy-drama Sunny Dancer, which is hitting UK screens for free.
The film will be screened at over 120 independent UK cinemas on 27th and 28th July. Then, the film will be released in the UK on 14th August.
These free screenings are being held by Escapes, a nationwide free cinema initiative on a mission to bring cinema to all by hosting more than 100 free film screenings every month.
Ramsey, a 22-year-old non-binary actor, plays 17-year-old Ivy in Sunny Dancer. Ivy is in cancer remission when her parents then decide to send her to a summer camp in Scotland for kids affected by cancer, which is Ivy’s worst nightmare.
But as the weeks pass, she finds unexpected friends among a group of misfits and has a summer she’ll never forget at ‘Chemo Camp’.
Writer-director George Jaques’ debut film also stars Happy Valley’s James Norton and Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunning as Ivy’s parents.
The wider ensemble also includes It’s a Sin’s Neil Patrick Harris, Madfabulous’ Ruby Stokes, The Sweet East’s Earl Cave, Country Lines’ Conrad Khan, Voltron’s Daniel Quinn-Toye and singer Jasmine Elcock.
Also, “You’re Beautiful” hitmaker James Blunt even makes a cameo as himself.
Speaking about the film, Ramsey said after reading the script: “There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was something I absolutely needed to do.”
Additionally, filmmaker Jaques opened up about his personal relationship with the film’s story.
‘I knew I wanted to tell a cancer story’
“My mum had cancer for a long time when I was growing up. I think it was part of why I got into writing,” he explained.
“Having that background as a teenager, and her getting diagnosed massively impacted the way I saw the world. So I knew I wanted to tell a cancer story.
“I wanted to make a film where cancer was the least interesting thing about the characters. They have these skills, this whole life, because they are still teenagers.”
Sunny Dancer screens for free at over 120 UK independent cinemas on 27th and 28th July. The film is then out in the UK on 14th August.
Tickets are available now at escapetothecinema.co.uk
