The upcoming British comedy Sunny Dancer has officially made its debut on the international film festival circuit. The movie, which brings together an impressive ensemble cast led by Bella Ramsey, had its world premiere on February 13, 2026 at the Berlin International Film Festival . Written and directed by rising British filmmaker George Jaques, this coming-of-age story takes a fresh approach to the teenage cancer narrative by focusing on life, friendship and rebellion rather than hospital beds and illness.
The film follows Ivy, a 17-year-old in remission from cancer, who gets sent to a summer camp for young people affected by the disease—what she sarcastically calls “chemo camp.” What starts as what she expects to be a “cringe” and “icky” experience turns into an unforgettable summer filled with new friendships, first loves and plenty of rule-breaking .
When and Where Did Sunny Dancer Premiere?
Sunny Dancer had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) on February 13, 2026 . The film was selected to open the festival’s Generation 14plus strand, which focuses on youth-oriented cinema . The premiere brought the cast together in Berlin, where they faced a press conference that took an unexpected turn into political discussions .
As for when regular audiences can watch the film, distributor True Brit Entertainment is planning a wide theatrical release in the United Kingdom and Ireland sometime in 2026 . While exact release dates for other territories are still being confirmed, Embankment Films has already pre-sold the movie to all European and Latin American territories, meaning audiences across these regions should get the chance to see it in cinemas this year .
Streaming details have not yet been announced. Given that the film just premiered at Berlinale, it will likely complete its theatrical run before becoming available on digital platforms. The movie is a British independent production, so streaming availability will depend on which distributors pick up the rights in different countries .
Who Stars in Sunny Dancer?
The cast of Sunny Dancer brings together an exciting mix of rising young talents and established names. Here is the complete cast list:
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bella Ramsey | Ivy |
| Daniel Quinn-Toye | Jake |
| Ruby Stokes | Ella |
| Earl Cave | Ralph |
| Jasmine Elcock | Maisie |
| Conrad Khan | Archie |
| Jessica Gunning | Karen (Ivy’s mother) |
| James Norton | Bob (Ivy’s father) |
| Neil Patrick Harris | Patrick (camp counselor) |
| Josie Walker | Brenda |
| Louis Gaunt | Tristan |
Bella Ramsey leads the film as Ivy. The actor, known for their roles in The Last of Us and Game of Thrones, has described working on Sunny Dancer as the best professional experience of their career. During the Berlin press conference, they shared, “It was just the best, joyous six weeks to spend in Scotland. Everybody so wanted to be there… Best experience I’ve had in my career so far, it’s a big statement, but honestly it was probably the best professional six weeks of my fricking life” .
The supporting cast includes Daniel Quinn-Toye (Voltron), Ruby Stokes (Bridgerton, Rocks), Earl Cave (Days of the Bagnold Summer), newcomer Jasmine Elcock, Conrad Khan (County Lines), Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer), James Norton (Happy Valley, Joy) and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Gone Girl) .
What Is Sunny Dancer About?
Sunny Dancer tells the story of Ivy (Ramsey), a teenager who has just beaten cancer and is now in remission. Her loving but overbearing parents sign her up for Children Run Free Camp, a summer retreat for young adults affected by cancer . Ivy calls it “chemo camp” and expects four weeks of cringe-worthy activities, patronizing cancer quotes, and mandatory talent shows .
But the camp turns out to be different from what she expected. Ivy meets a group of similarly minded misfits who also want to “fuck shit up” and live life to the fullest . The summer includes sneaking alcohol, skinny dipping, and maybe even falling in love for the first time. As the official synopsis puts it, the film is about “feeling the most alive you’ve ever felt whilst the world has other plans for you” .
Writer-director George Jaques has been very clear that this is not a typical cancer movie. In an interview, he explained his approach: “I wanted to make a film where cancer was the least interesting thing about them. They have these skills, this whole life, because they are still teenagers” . He also made a deliberate choice to include “not a single hospital scene” in the film .
Jaques described the movie as the “most naughty, feral, fucking crazy ensemble film about a group of kids in remission who go to a summer camp and all they want to do is takes loads of drugs and have a fun time” . Despite this wild description, he also noted that the film aims to be optimistic. “Sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is be optimistic,” he said at the Berlin press conference. “And we wanted to make a film about joy. There’s so much going on in the world right now, and I wanted to make something that really takes you somewhere else… Yes, it’s a cancer movie. Yes, all of that happens. But actually, it’s about this young girl who starts falling in love with the world again” .
How Did This Unusual Cast Come Together?
The story of how George Jaques assembled this cast is almost as entertaining as the film itself. At just 25 years old, the British filmmaker used a combination of boldness, persistence and personal connections to bring his vision to life .
For the lead role of Ivy, Jaques initially thought there was “fat chance” he would land Bella Ramsey, whom he acknowledged was “possibly the most famous young person on the planet” after The Last of Us . But he sent a hopeful letter along with a sizzle reel that included a deliberately bad camp video spliced with a meme of Joe Pesci saying “What the fuck is this piece of shit?” . After a Zoom call where they simply talked about life, Ramsey was on board.
Ramsey later shared their own journey to the role. “I didn’t know George. The amazing casting director, Daniel Edwards, kept saying my name to George, but I’d also never met Daniel. So I feel very fortunate that I was even thought of for this and for Ivy,” they told The Hollywood Reporter. “Then they got in touch, George wrote me a letter, and I did a Zoom while I was filming The Last of Us season two in Canada” .
They admitted their initial skepticism: “At first, the email came through and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna hate this. It’s about kids at camp. That’s just not my vibe.’ Then I read it and watched the sizzle reel and it was nothing that I hoped it wouldn’t be… A film about kids with cancer at summer camp? I was like, ‘This is a recipe for disaster.’ And it was just the opposite. The way George wrote it, the feeling he was expressing through it, was just so exciting and infectious” .
Neil Patrick Harris was another long-shot casting choice. Jaques charmed the Emmy winner over a Zoom call, and the two became close. “He’s like family to me now—I stayed with him in New York,” Jaques revealed . The friendship has continued beyond the film, with Jaques helping Harris get kitted out in Hermès for the Berlinale premiere .
The music for the film comes from an equally impressive source. Este Haim of the sister trio Haim composed the score along with Zachary Dawes, who is Lana Del Rey’s bassist . Jaques initially thought “No fucking way is a Grammy-nominated artist gonna do this” when his manager connected them . But Haim connected with the material personally, telling Jaques, “I’m actually Type 1 diabetic, and I used to go on diabetes camps” .
The film also features a cameo from musician James Blunt, who performs his hit song “You’re Beautiful” in a comically self-effacing scene . This casting happened because Jaques happened to chat with Blunt’s manager at his local pub when he was a teenager. Almost a decade later, he still had the number, gave the manager a call, and arranged a Zoom with Blunt—who agreed to do it for free .
Alison Goldfrapp also gave Jaques the rights to use her song “Ooh La La” in the film for free after he happened to be sitting next to her at a gig and asked .
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What Happened at the Berlin Premiere?
The Berlin International Film Festival premiere of Sunny Dancer on February 13, 2026 brought the cast together, though Daniel Quinn-Toye and Ruby Stokes were absent from the press conference . Este Haim joined the cast on stage, expressing her joy at working with both Jaques and filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson .
The press conference took an unexpected turn when journalists pressed the cast on political questions. Neil Patrick Harris faced a barrage of questions about U.S. politics, with one journalist asking if he would criticize his government and whether democracy in America is in danger .
Harris responded carefully: “Wow. While I have my own political opinions, I think as a performer, especially in this kind of movie, trying to be as inclusive. I never read this script as a political statement. It was much more about a human growing up and having realizations about themselves, singularly and friendship” .
He expanded on his approach to art in divided times: “I think we live in a strangely algorithmic and divided world right now, and so as artists, I’m always interested in doing things that are apolitical. Because we’re all, as humans, wanting to connect in some way. That’s why we experience things together” .
George Jaques also weighed in on the role of cinema, suggesting that “Sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is be optimistic” .
Despite the political detour, the cast clearly bonded during production. Jaques shared that during the shoot, with help from Harris, the cast went to see Kylie Minogue perform and went backstage to meet her afterward .
The film was shot in Scotland over six weeks in April 2025, with the weather surprisingly cooperating—it reportedly didn’t rain once during the Scotland shoot, a rare occurrence .
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