Bella Ramsey has said filming Sunny Dancer gave them a chance to experience the teenage freedom and rebellion they feel they missed while working with adults from a young age. The actor, now 22, plays a cancer survivor at a summer camp in the film, whose story also explores friendship, grief and life after serious illness. The comments highlight how early professional responsibilities can shape adolescence, while the film seeks to portray young people affected by cancer with greater authenticity.

Writer-director George Jaques drew partly on his mother’s cancer diagnosis when he was 15, but developed the script only after several years of reflection. He worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust and young cancer survivors, two of whom were cast, to avoid clichés such as calling them “kids” or automatically describing them as brave. Jaques and Ramsey also said society should allow more space for grief, noting that the UK has no general legal right to paid bereavement leave beyond limited statutory exceptions.