Skate board queen Hayley Wilson in encore screenings

AFTER sell out screenings in Melbourne, Sydney, and Mansfield in 2024, the Mansfield Armchair Cinema is thrilled to be hosting two encore screenings of “Queens of Concrete” on Saturday May 17 at 4.30pm and Sunday the May 18 at 2pm. Filmed over eight years, the documentary follows the journeys of Mansfield Olympian Hayley Wilson and two other young skateboarders- Ava Godfrey and Charlotte Heath as they aim for the ultimate sporting goal- the Olympic Games. Filmed on location in Mansfield, Melbourne, London, the USA, and Tokyo the documentary chronicles their journeys from childhood to adulthood. It is 2016 and Hayley (14), Ava (13) and Charlotte (nine) are following their dreams to qualify for the first ever Australian skateboarding Olympic team for 2020. The three girls are strong contenders, but they face crushing life lessons as they navigate heartbreak, betrayal, a global pandemic, and pressure beyond their years. What began as an Olympic ambition becomes a tale of resilience, triumph, and self-discovery. They also must wrestle with their own definition of success. Ranked as the fourth best Australian film in 2024 by Cinema Australia, the documentary opens up discussions about the challenges of physical and mental health in elite sports. All three girls bravely share their highs and lows over the eight year period. For those who have seen the film they say it is a “must see” for children (and their parents) who are involved in or are pursuing competitive sport. For each encore screening Mansfield Armchair Cinema are offering a free child/teen entry with each paid adult admission. Hayley Wilson’s parents, Catriona and James Wilson will be attending each screening to answer any questions viewers may have. Although Hayley would love to be there having missed the premiere in her home town last year due to circumstances beyond her control, she has been happily pursuing her new career opportunities. "Hayley would like to thank everyone in Mansfield for their continuing support and she encourages all young people to follow their dreams and passions," said Catriona. "In doing so she emphasised not to put too much pressure on on yourselves as sport should be all about enjoyment and fun”. Since competing at the Tokyo Olympics Hayley has signed a contract to work with Nike USA, was the first female to be awarded Australian Skateboarder of the year in 2024, turned Pro for board company REAL in 2024. She will be releasing her first Nike shoe in Copenhagen this month followed by Melbourne in early June. Hayley and her family are hoping as many people as possible can see the film. “Many people only see the highs associated with sport when in actual fact there are both mental and physical battles faced by many athletes,” said Catriona. “All three girls give detailed accounts of these battles which are expertly captured by film maker Eliza Cox,” she said. Tickets are available by calling into the cinema or by logging into https://www.trybooking.com/DAWDF

Skate board queen Hayley Wilson in encore screenings

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