Loughborough's Bella Ramsey cast in new 'uplifting' movie about teenage cancer

Leicestershire’s Bella Ramsey will lead a new “uplifting” film about teenage cancer. The Last of Us actor will join forces with stars from some of Netflix’s biggest shows and films for the movie.

Bella, who studied acting at Loughborough’s Stagecoach Theatre, will portray Ivy in Sunny Dancer - a new coming-of-age film about teenage cancer. According to Variety, the movie, which is being billed as showing the “best of British talent”, will follow Bella’s Ivy in the wake of her remission as she attends the ‘Children Run Free Camp’ - a summer retreat for young people affected by cancer.

The retreat, which Ivy calls “chemo camp”, is the exact opposite of how she wants to spend a summer, with promotional videos making the place too sickly sweet for her liking. However, the “uplifting” movie will see Ivy’s opinion change as she discovers new feelings with new friends.

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Sunny Dancer will see Bella star alongside Louis Partridge and Ruby Stokes. Louis is best known for his role of Lord Tewkesbury in the Enola Holmes Netflix movies alongside Millie Bobby Brown, while Ruby is known to many for her roles of Francesca Bridgerton in Bridgerton and Lucy Carlyle in Lockwood & Co.

Louis and Ruby’s roles have not been confirmed at this stage, but Variety says they will all be involved in the “refreshing” and “surprising” approach to the teenage cancer storyline. The film’s description says Ivy and her fellow ‘chemo campers’ will “blossom in love” and come out of events with “resilience, humour and heart”.

The film, which is currently being launched to the Cannes market, will be produced by Ken Petrie, with the movie set to be directed by 23-year-old rising director George Jacques. He previously worked with Ruby Stokes on the feature film, Black Dog - a movie which explored two boys' close connections on a road trip up north.

Mr Jacques said he was “beyond excited” to tell Ivy’s story, saying the subject was close to his heart. He added: “I can’t imagine anybody better to bring it to life than the amazing cast of Bella, Louis and Ruby - I am truly thrilled they are a part of it.”