Bella Ramsey finds their tribe in teen cancer comedy-drama 'Sunny Dancer'

Bella Ramsey stars in "Sunny Dancer," a comedy-drama that follows a summer camp for teenagers battling cancer. Ramsey, known for her role in "The Last of Us," portrays Ivy, a 17-year-old in remission from leukemia who reluctantly attends the month-long camp, hoping to please her parents, played by James Norton and Jessica Gunning. Initially isolated, Ivy forms a close bond with a group of camp regulars, enjoying activities, breaking rules, drinking, flirting, and sharing cancer-related jokes.

The film balances humor and the more serious aspects of cancer, with Ramsey noting the wide range of emotions her character experiences. "Some days we'd do really intense scenes and some of the most joyful scenes back to back," she shared. Ramsey, 22, expressed relief at finding herself among peers, stating, "I was relieved that coming into 'Sunny Dancer' everyone was the same sort of level. We all went to the pub, had one drink and then went home because we were tired."

Writer-director George Jaques aimed to create a cancer film that was funny, outrageous, and avoided cliches, drawing from his own experiences with his mother's cancer and working with a teenage cancer charity. Jaques, 26, encouraged his cast to fully embody their characters, allowing for spontaneous, "feral" takes during filming.

"Sunny Dancer" is set to premiere globally on Wednesday, with screenings organized for cancer-affected youth before its theatrical release. Jaques expressed pride in the film's ability to resonate with young cancer survivors, saying, "I'm sure not every young survivor will feel seen with this film, but a hell of a lot of them do. And I feel really deeply proud of that."