Hot Docs

On a tough South Leeds estate, the DAZL Diamonds, an all-boys cheerleading team, rehearses a new routine. Amid a flurry of pink pompoms, they practice ‘facials,’ perfect switch-ups and master the Worm in preparation for the national championships. Led by dedicated coach Ian Rodley, a group of nine sensitive kids breakdance, break down and break free—Billy Elliot-style. More than just an after-school activity, cheerleading instills discipline, celebrates flamboyance and inspires creativity in these boys who have been raised to be quitters, who have been bullied and who have grown up as man of the house. Ian demands perfection and imposes consequences, something the boys aren’t accustomed to. He teaches them to fail, to learn from their mistakes and to persist in achieving their goals in sport and in life. Boy Cheerleaders is an uplifting and inspiring story of kids out to do—and be—their best. - Angie Driscoll

Screening with 5 Pictures of a Father

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