The Ice King

UK 12A Certificate
In cinemas
February 23, 2018
Buy it from
May 7, 2018
Director
Runtime
1 Hour 28 Minutes
Language
English
From Dogwoof
moderate sex references, discriminatory attitudes

Watch any figure skating and it falls into two camps: before and after John Curry. From what was a macho, technical sport whose judges punished deviation, blossomed – through Curry’s stubborn beauty – ice-dancing. Featuring incredible unseen footage of some of his most remarkable performances, and with access to Curry's letters and archive interviews, as well as contributions from former British skating champions Robin Cousins and Lorna Brown, legendary coach Christa Fassi, and interviews with his family, friends and collaborators, this is a portrait of the man who turned ice-skating from a dated sport into an exalted art form.

After winning gold at the Winter Olympics for a rebelliously balletic routine, audiences and reviewers alike were enthralled by his genius. Following his Olympic triumphs, Curry went on to defy expectations and to continuously redefine ice dancing as a true art form by pursuing his dream of forming his own company, which brought the sport to theatres and new audiences across the world. But Curry’s story is about more than skating. On the night of the Olympics final, Curry became the first openly gay Olympian at a time when homosexuality was barely legal. From bullying and prejudice, to relief in the gay underworld, to his untimely death from AIDS, Curry’s story dovetails with the experiences of a generation.

Last updated
December 23, 2018

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