A comment on Dancing Queen
German version here
The first day of school after the summer vacations – finally in the 7th grade. 12-year-old Mina is excited for a new school year – she likes homework and especially math, and is looking forward to middle school finally starting soon. But this school year everything is going to be different, because Mina’s class is getting a new student – Edwin, called „E.D. Win“, the cool hip hop dancer who has thousands of followers on Instagram and is already the star of the class. Mina is also blown away by E.D. Win and wants to impress him badly, even more when he tells the class that he is forming a dance crew to participate in a competition at the end of the school year. There is only one option for Mina – she has to become part of the dance crew, even though she never thought of dancing before. Her best friend Marcus and her parents don’t seem to like her new hobby either, but luckily Mina still has her grandma, who was a dancer herself and wants to help Mina train for the dance crew with E.D. Win.
„Dancing Queen“ is the debut film of director Aurora Gossé and impresses the audience in every possible way on Saturday afternoon. I’ve rarely heard so many laughs during a film at the Berlinale, there are several scene applauses and a few standing ovations after the film. This may be due to the fact that „Dancing Queen“ is not a „typical“ Berlinale film, where the audience gets an insight into stories that are tragic or touching in diverse ways. „Dancing Queen“ definitely touches as well, but in a different way. You can see the professionalism of the production, it was definitely not a low-budget production. The film has a rousing storyline with a climax at the end. Although you can guess the outcome of the story from the beginning, „Dancing Queen“ doesn’t get boring, has several twists in the storyline and entertains big and especially small viewers.
In „Dancing Queen“, screenwriter Silje Holtet deals with several important issues of growing up. Friendship and family, falling in love, ones body image, bullying and self-acceptance – many of the problems and feelings teenagers struggle with are addressed. In a simple and funny way, these sometimes serious topics are implemented by Gossé, so that „Dancing Queen“ communicates important values without losing its rousing and funny character. For sure many people in the audience will be able to identify with Mina or one of the other characters, feel understood in their own problems and feelings, or simply remember a little bit of their own childhood and puberty.
„Dancing Queen“ is soundtracked by Norwegian hip hop, which will surely make some people in the audience want to move their feet, as well as cool dance choreographies that make you want to move. Especially Liv Elvira Kippersund Larsson as Mina, Viljar Knutsen Bjaadal as E.D. Win, Sturla Puran Harbitz as Marcus and the other child actors, whose dance experience is noticeable and who inspire the whole audience, make sure of that.
In total, „Dancing Queen“ is maybe a bit predictable, but a multifaceted and rousing feel-good film for young and old, where you laugh, cry, empathize and want to dance along. A great recommendation for a little lighter film in between!
Further screenings at the Berlinale:
So 19.02. 09:45, Cubix 8
So 19.02. 12:30, Filmtheater am Friedrichshain (with ukrainian voice-over)
Mo 20.02. 09:30, Filmtheater am Friedrichshain
Fr 24.02. 09:30, Zoo Palast 1
So 26.02. 12:30, Filmtheater am Friedrichshain
