Backspot

{{Short description|Canadian sport drama film}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Backspot

| image = Backspot poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = D. W. Waterson

| producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| screenplay = Joanne Sarazen

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Casey MQ

| cinematography = James Poremba

| editing = {{Plainlist|

}}

| studio = {{Plainlist|

  • Page Boy Productions
  • Night is Y
  • Prospero Pictures

}}

| distributor = XYZ Films

| released = {{Film date|2023|9|8|TIFF|2024|5|31|United States}}

| runtime =

| country = {{Plainlist|

  • Canada
  • United States

}}

| language = English

| budget =

}}

Backspot is a 2023 drama film directed by D. W. Waterson in their feature-length directorial debut and stars Devery Jacobs, Kudakwashe Rutendo, and Evan Rachel Wood. Jacobs also serves as producer, along with Waterson, through their Night is Y production company.{{Cite web |last=Dowling |first=Amber |date=2023-02-15 |title=Elliot Page's Queer Cheer Drama 'Backspot' Starts Shooting in Canada (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/elliot-page-queer-cheer-drama-backspot-canada-1235523533/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

The film premiered in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.Valerie Complex, [https://deadline.com/2023/08/tiff-discovery-and-midnight-madness-program-1235453808/ "TIFF Unveils Cinematic First Looks With Discovery And Midnight Madness Program; World Premieres Include ‘Hell Of A Summer,’ ‘Gonzo Girl,’ ‘Widow Clicquot,’ And ‘Boy Kills World’"]. Deadline Hollywood, August 3, 2023.

==Synopsis==

The plot follows two cheerleaders named Riley and Amanda as they navigate the world of competitive cheerleading.{{Cite web|url=https://etcanada.com/news/935896/elliot-page-joins-lgbtq-cheerleading-drama-backspot-as-executive-producer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013204315/https://etcanada.com/news/935896/elliot-page-joins-lgbtq-cheerleading-drama-backspot-as-executive-producer/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 13, 2022|website=EtCanada|title= Elliot Page Joins LGBTQ Cheerleading Drama 'Backspot' As Executive Producer|first=Anita|last=Tai|date= October 13, 2022|accessdate=March 20, 2023}}

Cast

Production

The project is produced by Page Boy Productions, Night is Y, and Prospero Pictures. It was written by Joanne Sarazen, based on a story by D. W. Waterson. Elliot Page, Matthew Jordan Smith, John Davidson, and Katisha Shaw executive produce, with Alona Metzer, Waterson, Jacobs, and Martin Katz as producers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/elliot-page-executive-producer-backspot-1235240093|website=Hollywood Reporter|title= Elliot Page to Executive Produce 'Backspot' Cheerleading Drama (Exclusive)|first=Etan|last=Vlessing|date=October 13, 2022}} In December 2023, XYZ Films had acquired the U.S., Australia and New Zealand distribution rights to the film.{{cite web|last=Wiseman|first=Andreas|title=Cheerleading Drama Backspot, Starring Devery Jacobs, Evan Rachel Wood & Exec-Produced By Elliot Page, Gets U.S. Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2023/12/devery-jacobs-evan-rachel-wood-elliot-page-movie-backspot-cheerleading-deal-1235650825/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 4, 2023|access-date=December 4, 2023}}

In cheerleading, a backspotter acts as a support to the flyer during cheerleading stunts, which is referenced in the title of the project.{{Cite web|url= https://beta.ctvnews.ca/national/entertainment/2022/10/14/1_6109221.amp.html|website=ctvnews|accessdate=March 20, 2023|title= Elliot Page to executive produce LGBTQ2S+ cheerleading drama 'Backspot'|date=October 14, 2022}}

=Casting=

As well as producing the movie, Jacobs was announced as one of the leads of the film in October 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://movies.mxdwn.com/news/devery-jacobs-to-star-in-queer-cheerleading-drama-produced-by-elliot-page|website=mxdwn.com|title=Devery Jacobs to Star in Queer Cheerleading Drama Produced by Elliot Page|date=October 14, 2022 |accessdate=March 10, 2023}} Newcomer Kudakwashe Rutendo was announced as the other lead in February 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.out.com/film/elliot-page-cheerleading-movie-filming|website=Out.com|title=Elliot Page's Queer Cheerleading Film Has Started Filming|first=Mey|last=Rude|date=February 16, 2023|accessdate=March 20, 2023}} Evan Rachel Wood was revealed to have joined the production in March 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/evan-rachel-wood-elliot-page-backspot-1235559266/|website=Variety|date=March 20, 2023|title= Evan Rachel Wood Joins Cast of 'Backspot,' Executive Produced by Elliot Page (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Naman|last=Ramachandran|access-date=March 20, 2023}}

=Filming=

Principal photography began in Toronto in February 2023.{{Cite web|date=February 15, 2023|title=Elliot Page's Queer Cheer Drama 'Backspot' Starts Shooting in Canada (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Amber|last=Dowling|accessdate=March 20, 2023|website=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/elliot-page-queer-cheer-drama-backspot-canada-1235523533}} It was reported by Collider that filming had wrapped in March 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/evan-rachel-wood-cast-backspot|website=Collider|accessdate=March 20, 2023|first=Britta|last=Devore|date=March 20, 2023|title=Evan Rachel Wood to Star in Queer Cheerleading Film 'Backspot'}}

Release

Backspot was released in the Canada and the United States on May 31, 2024.{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/devery-jacobs-cheerleader-drama-training-backspot-trailer-8635123|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=April 19, 2024|first=Lester Fabian|last=Brathwaite|date=April 19, 2024|title=Devery Jacobs flips, falls, and gets yelled at by Evan Rachel Wood in the trailer for cheerleading drama Backspot}}

Critical response

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|87|7.1|52|An outstanding showcase for Devery Jacobs, Backspot is front of the line as an insightful and thrilling sports drama.}}{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=backspot |type=movie |access-date=December 5, 2024}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}