Free Skate - Trailer

Following a successful run on the global film festival circuit, Canadian distributor Indiecan Entertainment is inviting audiences to experience the beauty and trauma of being a world-class athlete beginning January 27 with Free Skate. Roope Olenius' feature is written by lead actress Veera W. Vilo, based on her own experiences as a gymnast, her colleagues’ similar experiences, and disturbing stories of female athletes and dancers that have come to light after the start of the #metoo movement.

A young and promising Russian figure skater is found beaten and frostbitten in a lay-by of a motorway in Finland. In the hospital, the officials find a letter from her belongings and are able to reconnect her with her Finnish grandmother, whom she has not seen for years. With the help of her grandmother, who offers her the shelter of her home, the figure skater tries to re-establish herself and recover from the trauma and inhumane circumstances that forced her to flee from Russia. She finds a new chance with top figure skating, but despite the bright future, new friends and possibilities, her past won’t let go of her. The figure skater realizes facing her troubled past is the only option to make it to the top.

Ahead of the Los Angeles premiere, Olenius shared, "The film not only discusses the practice methods, psyche and human rights of the athletes but sheds light on the unfortunate connection between female sports and human trafficking, which we have become increasingly more aware after the rise of the #metoo movement. Our aim was to make a European sports film that doesn’t just glamorize the sports, but dares to dig deeper into being a real human being in the sometimes overly demanding professional sports.”

After the theatrical release, Free Skate will be available on a number of digital and cable platforms in North America, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, iNDemand and DISH, starting February 28th, 2023.