It’s 1984 and Venice Beach, CA, is at the epicenter of a pop culture explosion. Young people of color seeking refuge from the turmoil of inner city life flock to the eclectic ocean community to create a brand new phenomenon: roller dancing! The talent and vibrant personality of this multicultural roller ‘family’ draws massive crowds and influence Hollywood. But just as roller dancing flourishes, politics, money and gentrification conspire to take their dreams away.
Kate Hickey is an Australian independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles. In 2017, she made her directorial debut on the festival circuit with Roller Dreams, a crowd pleasing documentary that uses the Venice Beach roller skate dancing scene of the 1980s as a lens to explore racial identity in America. It won the Foxtel Audience Award at Sydney Film Festival and the Jury Award for Best Feature Documentary at Calgary Film Festival.
Kate also works as a film & TV editor, notably on the HBO series GIRLS. She edited the feature film OH LUCY!, starring Josh Hartnett and Shinobu Terajima, which premiered at Cannes film festival and was nominated for two independent spirit awards. Kate has also edited shows for Netflix, Hulu, Sundance Now & Youtube Red
