Woolf Women: Now or Never

The Language of Film

Jun 7

Woolf Women directed first time documentary filmmaker Marchella De Angelis follows Jenny 'Jungle' a downhill skateboarder on her epic odyssey across Europe with her fellow Woolf Women, a group of young female skateboarders, to skate where nobody has skated before. In selected UK cinemas from 8th June.

We pick up Jenny Jungle's story as a child growing up with her family in Bavaria. Her father was a ski instructor who passed away suddenly, which heavily impacted on Jenny's mental health. As an art student in London at the time, whose thesis on adrenaline had led her to discover downhill skateboarding, she soon began competing, rising to number 2 in the world, but the news of her father's death put her mental health in a downward spiral. Out of work, she left London and headed to the hills living in a converted van. Downhill skating was her salvation and on the road she discovered the Woolf Women, a group of like minded girls from around the world living a similar nomadic lifestyle and seeking a similar peace from this extreme sport.

As part of her healing process and a way to commemorate her father's passing Jenny 'Jungle' decides she wants to embark on an epic journey with the Woolf Women across Europe. Her target is an ancient monastery high up in the Pontic Mountains of Turkey on a trip that will cover 6,000 kilometres, across 8 countries in 8 days.

Downhill skateboarding has to be seen to be believed. Super fast with speeds of up to 100 km/hr and super dangerous; how they stand up and race on a tiny board with wheels defies physics. With no actual breaks, the skaters use a perilously looking sliding technique to check their speeds as they throw themselves around corners. The insane riding is caught on camera with some super close ups that provide a real sense of the speed and intensity. Behind the scene insights show how the high speed action shots are captured, that leaves your heart in your mouth.

There is also footage of some of the accidents that the girls have had, which makes for some uncomfortable viewing. Jenny 'Jungle' herself suffers a sickening crash into a roadside barrier leaving her in hospital requiring multiple surgeries and with a long road to recovery in her own race to be fit to make the Woolf Women expedition and that's even if she ever wants to skate again.

It makes for a memorable road trip for a band of young girls with a shared passion for a rather unique sport. Their unique bond goes further than just skating and includes all things Woolf, mental wellbeing, female empowerment and an affinity for the environment (and skinny dipping) highlighted by singer / songwriter Karina Ramage joining the girls on the road to sing some eco songs together.

The sparks certainly fly in this documentary as the Woolf Women show a bravery and skill only matched by the insanity of riding downhill without breaks or a steering wheel.