An all-senior dance troupe in Southwestern Florida takes center stage in the documentary film Calendar Girls. The directorial debut of Swedish filmmakers Maria Loohufvud and Love Martinsen, Calendar Girls is a celebration of living your golden years to the fullest. Making its U.S. debut at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, the film takes a beautiful look at how even though our bodies age, the spirit is forever young.
(Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Love Martinsen)
Dressed as unicorns, reindeer, and USO performers, the Calendar Girls volunteer their time by performing at charity events. With thirty-some members, the documentary primarily focuses on the lives of five women while following the group through their rehearsals, performances, and intimate conversations. Sisterhood, love, loss, and varying abilities all come into play in this uplifting film about trying to age on your own terms.
Thematic similarities call to mind The Golden Girls, in large part due to the age of the film’s subjects and the South Florida setting. The classic sitcom starring Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty captured the hearts of millions of viewers with narratives about its four protagonists living life to the fullest in their golden years. While there’s not a direct equivalent to Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, or Sophia in the film, you find yourself falling in love with each of the featured members of Calendar Girls.
Maria Loohufvud and Love Martinsen dial up the artistic qualities of the film, with the Calendar Girls performing several numbers just for the camera. These moments become almost dream-like, often implementing a softer focus than the organically captured moments. And with Love Martinse’s ethereal yet tropical score, you find yourself becoming entranced by these women. The soundtrack also includes some fun tracks like “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)," and “Jingle Bell Rock.”
Calendar Girls has delightfully campy qualities while humanizing its subjects and grounding the sugary sweet moments with somber reality. Conversations about aging and ways to die on your own terms bring fantasy sequences crashing down in an honest and poignant way. The world recently lost the last living member of The Golden Girls and in that regard, the Calendar Girls accept their last hurrah, having as much fun as possible.
I give Calendar Girls 5 out of 5 stars.