Whip It

‘Whip It’ is the directorial debut by Drew Barrymore and evolved from a script based on a Shauna Cross novel called ‘Derby Girl’. Featuring Barrymore, Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig and Andrew Wilson; it’s a coming of age story set in the world of mayhem on wheels aka Roller Derby. To the uninitiated Roller Derby is an American invented contact sport based on formation skating around an oval track. Points are scored as certain players overtake members of an opposing team. Featuring humorous pseudonyms and rockabilly/burlesque inspired uniforms; It’s fun, fast, raucous and often punctuated with fights between the players. Nearly all contemporary roller derby leagues are all-female, self-organized and it’s one of the few sports in the world that is entirely run by and for the players.