Eager to escape the predominantly White suburb where she lives, mixed-race Nina is thrilled when she comes across Cleo’s Castle, a roller rink where all the cool Black and mixed-race teens in Montreal hang out. However, she soon learns that, even there, she has to prove that she belongs. She has to earn the respect of Black peers who come from various neighbourhoods in the city and a diversity of socio-economic realities. Desperate to fit in, she finds the courage to stand up to bullies by participating in the Skate Off so she can erase all doubt about where she belongs. While she forms lasting bonds, she also has to deal with some of the problems that plague the community, providing a look at contemporary issues through the nostalgic lens of disco, funk and roller skating’s golden age.

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Nina's '80s was a Second Rounder at the 2022 Austin Film Festival and a Quarterfinalist in the 2022 Screencraft TV Pilot competition.

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Developed thanks to the Rogers - Black Screen Office Development Fund.

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Polished pilot and pitch deck available.

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Photo: Adley Haywood