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Cinemafile · Yesterday · 17 min

Sunny Dancer – Director George Jacques

IVY, 17, is a cancer survivor, in remission. Once one of the popular girls at school, she’s now angry and withdrawn, riddled with survivor’s guilt. She hates pity and she definitely doesn’t want to be a Make-A-Wish kid. Her parents are worried and convince her to go to CRF Camp, or Children Run Free Camp, a four week long summer camp for teenagers affected by cancer to help her “find herself”. When she reluctantly agrees to go to this ‘Chemo Camp’, after seeing the impact her illness has had on her family, she discovers that it really is as disappointing as she thought; a faded, washed out, activity camp which is quite frankly not where a teenage girl wants to spend her final summer before she turns 18. Director, writer and producer George Jacques joins us to talk about his second feature film, Sunny Dancer. About the filmmaker - Writer, Director & Producer George Jaques S is a 25-year-old director, actor, writer and producer from South London. At 16, he founded his production company, Athenaeum Productions. George’s debut feature film BLACK DOG World Premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was nominated for the ‘Best First Feature’ award. It was executive produced by Oscar Winning David Parfitt (The Father) and was also showcased as part of the Great8 competition at Cannes Film Festival. BLACK DOG released onto Apple/Amazon with a limited number of theatrical screenings. It won two awards at Riviera International Film Festival (Best Film and Best Actor) as well as being featured in Vogue. Prior to this, George directed and wrote a number of short films which caught the attention of Sony, Sky and Warner Brothers as well as several sell-out theatre shows including a show at The National. In 2022, George was also the winner of the Breakthrough Filmmaker Award at the inaugural Soho House Awards. He has also just directed a commercial starring Dermot Crowley (Luther) and Sarah Greene (Bad Sisters) for BAFTA winning agency Don’t Panic. As an actor, George starred opposite Jude Law in HBO/Marc Munden’s 12 Hour Epic THE THIRD DAY: AUTUMN, played Francis II in Justin Haythe Lionsgate’s series THE SERPENT QUEEN opposite Samantha Morton, and a lead in Sky/Nick Love’s gangster show A TOWN CALLED MALICE. More recently he Executive Produced and played the lead in Emmy Nominated director Huse Monfaradi’s film ONE PUNCH. George’s sophomore feature film (SUNNY DANCER) as a director, writer and producer opened Berlin International Film Festival as one of the opening night films. It stars Emmy nominee Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), Ruby Stokes (Rocks), Earl Cave (The Sweet East), BAFTA nominee James Norton (Happy Valley), Golden Globe winner Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) and five-time Emmy winner Neil Patrick Harris (A Series of Unfortunate Events).

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IVY, 17, is a cancer survivor, in remission. Once one of the popular girls at school, she’s now angry and withdrawn, riddled with survivor’s guilt. She hates pity and she definitely doesn’t want to be a Make-A-Wish kid. Her parents are worried and convince her to go to CRF Camp, or Children Run Free Camp, a four week long summer camp for teenagers affected by cancer to help her “find herself”. When she reluctantly agrees to go to this ‘Chemo Camp’, after seeing the impact her illness has had on her family, she discovers that it really is as disappointing as she thought; a faded, washed out, activity camp which is quite frankly not where a teenage girl wants to spend her final summer before she turns 18. Director, writer and producer George Jacques joins us to talk about his second feature film, Sunny Dancer.

About the filmmaker - Writer, Director & Producer George Jaques S is a 25-year-old director, actor, writer and producer from South London. At 16, he founded his production company, Athenaeum Productions. George’s debut feature film BLACK DOG World Premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was nominated for the ‘Best First Feature’ award. It was executive produced by Oscar Winning David Parfitt (The Father) and was also showcased as part of the Great8 competition at Cannes Film Festival. BLACK DOG released onto Apple/Amazon with a limited number of theatrical screenings. It won two awards at Riviera International Film Festival (Best Film and Best Actor) as well as being featured in Vogue. Prior to this, George directed and wrote a number of short films which caught the attention of Sony, Sky and Warner Brothers as well as several sell-out theatre shows including a show at The National. In 2022, George was also the winner of the Breakthrough Filmmaker Award at the inaugural Soho House Awards. He has also just directed a commercial starring Dermot Crowley (Luther) and Sarah Greene (Bad Sisters) for BAFTA winning agency Don’t Panic. As an actor, George starred opposite Jude Law in HBO/Marc Munden’s 12 Hour Epic THE THIRD DAY: AUTUMN, played Francis II in Justin Haythe Lionsgate’s series THE SERPENT QUEEN opposite Samantha Morton, and a lead in Sky/Nick Love’s gangster show A TOWN CALLED MALICE. More recently he Executive Produced and played the lead in Emmy Nominated director Huse Monfaradi’s film ONE PUNCH. George’s sophomore feature film (SUNNY DANCER) as a director, writer and producer opened Berlin International Film Festival as one of the opening night films. It stars Emmy nominee Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), Ruby Stokes (Rocks), Earl Cave (The Sweet East), BAFTA nominee James Norton (Happy Valley), Golden Globe winner Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) and five-time Emmy winner Neil Patrick Harris (A Series of Unfortunate Events).

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