Film Screening of Cheer Up and Director Q&A

Film screening of Cheer Up, followed by a Q&A with Director Christy Garland March 29 at 8:30 PM in AHB 1B06.

View trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfghJlLFnN8

Christy Garland is originally from London and her latest film, What Walaa Wants, has just premiered (and sold out) at the Berlinale. 

About the Film:

In the isolation of the Arctic Circle, Finland's worst cheerleading team is led by Miia, an ambitious coach who's tired of losing. To reverse the team's fortunes, Miia seeks inspiration by visiting the world champions in Texas to soak up their winning ways. Emboldened, her new approach pushes her Ice Queens teenage team to its breaking point. The strain reveals that the source of the girls' suffering lies much deeper than their lack of trophies. Christy Garland's sensitivity to her subjects transcends the familiar conventions of sports documentaries, where underdogs triumph over adversity and athletes become archetypes oversimplifying the complexities of human nature. The uniformed cheerleaders and their passionate leader emerge as strong individuals struggling with emotions that mirror the highs and lows of their routines. They use cheerleading as a means of coping with their questions of identity, belonging and family”—Alexander Rogalski

This event is sponsored by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and by the London And Middlesex Film Festival Research Group. 

All welcome!