• Release year: 2024
• Director: Tanya Doyle.
• Producers: Sinéad Ní Bhroin and Daniel Hegarty.
• Editors: John Murphy and Mirjam Strugalla.
• Cinematography by: Eleanor Bowman.
• Composers: Hugh Drumm and Stephen Rennicks.

Shotgun Commentary: very niche documentary for cheerleading enthusiasts.

Review

Eat/Sleep/Cheer/Repeat follows a group of Irish gymnasts as they practice for a cheerleader championship celebrated in the US. If you are looking for some inspiring champion’s story, this is not the place to go. However, if you want to see what the real life of sportsmen and women looks like, this is one of the most accurate sources you will find out there.

Money vs sports

Everything seems to come together against this endearing group of incredible gymnasts as they prepare for an event that often feels more like a dream than an actual possibility. One of the main issues being lack of sponsorship.

Big competitions and internationally famous sportspeople are usually sponsored by tons of brands, but smaller teams and individuals who dedicate their life to sports are not as well-funded. Many documentaries have covered the dire conditions in which many sportspeople find themselves because of this. Even at an Olympic level, tons of people struggle in between competitions because not enough money comes in, and their training is costly.

As such, it is wonderful to see how this team goes out of their way to get some funding for their trip to the US in order to compete. From bake sales to marketing campaigns at their local supermarket, they are proof that anything is possible if you have a good team to support you, and you are willing to put in the work.

Nourishing environment

Of course, community is basic for the success of their endeavour, meaning family and friends have a big role in the documentary as well. Still, not many families show up in the documentary, but when they do, you can see how crucial they are as a support system for both gymnasts and trainer. In terms of friends, the documentary’s content stays within the team, highlighting how important it is to know your teammates and trust them blindly. Especially when some of them are the difference between life and death, quite literally if you consider the dangers of jumping into the sky and falling face-first on the ground.

Additionally, most of these athletes are also teenagers, barely finishing high school. As such, having a support system is still more important now than it will be at any other point in their lives, not only to face the hardships of the sport, but also those of life. The film shows some of the team member’s doubts and opinions. From boyfriends to COVID or mental health, they are all able to express themselves thanks to the trust they have on their teammates.

A new world

Speaking of which, a great part of the documentary, if not all, is shot during COVID, which also brings further hardship on both the team on camera and behind. Reflecting how the pandemic has affected the world of sports is also a fascinating addition to the content, one that is shot as objectively as possible.

Doyle makes her best impression of a fly in the wall, shadowing her subjects as discreetly as possible in order to get the best of them. This is a commendable feat, especially when the protagonists are essentially teenagers, as they have a harder time being confident enough to act naturally when a camera follows them everywhere. Whether they were already confident or Doyle made them so remains unknown, either way, the end result is fantastic.

All in all, Eat/Sleep/Cheer/Repeat is a great documentary for any sports/cheerleading enthusiasts. It showcases the effort that this people put into their craft rather than focusing on the end result, thus providing a more realistic portrayal of the life of a cheerleader.

If you are in the UK and Eat/Sleep/Cheer/Repeat has piqued your interest, you can now watch at the Irish Film Festival London on the 16th of November at 13:30!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Do your research before giving up on your dreams.
• Don’t drag other people into the mud when you make a mistake.
• Training athletes is HARD.

What’s your take? Have you watched Eat/Sleep/Cheer/Repeat? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀