Cheer Up Trailer (2016)

Trailer for Cheer Up.

In the isolation of the Arctic Circle, Finland's worst cheerleading team is led by Miia, an ambitious coach who's tired of losing. To reverse the team's fortunes, Miia seeks inspiration by visiting the world champions in Texas to soak up their winning ways. Emboldened, her new approach pushes her Ice Queens teenage team to its breaking point. The strain reveals that the source of the girls' suffering lies much deeper than their lack of trophies. Christy Garland's sensitivity to her subjects transcends the familiar conventions of sports documentaries, where underdogs triumph over adversity and athletes become archetypes oversimplifying the complexities of human nature. The uniformed cheerleaders and their passionate leader emerge as strong individuals struggling with emotions that mirror the highs and lows of their routines. They use cheerleading as a means of coping with their questions of identity, belonging and family.