LastattheFestivalwith2017’sruralnoirDarkRiver,aselectioninthePlatformprogramme,writer-directorClioBarnardreturnstotheBradford,WestYorkshiresettingofherearlierfilmsforthistumultuous,fiercelyaffectingmidlifelovestory.
Abundleofgoodhumourandnervousenergy,Ali(AdeelAkhtar)isaBritishPakistaniworking-classlandlordwhoforgesclosebondswithhistenants.Oneday,whilepickinguponeofhistenants’childrenfromschool,heoffersalifttoAva(ClaireRushbrook),anIrish-bornteacherandsinglemotheroffive.Theybondalmostinstantlythroughtheirloveofmusic,thoughAlifavoursthehighenergyofBuzzcocksandhip-hopwhileAvatakesrefugeinthequietercomfortsofBobDylanandKarenDalton.Despitetheirdivergentbackgrounds,differencesintheirstagesoflife,andthecolouroftheirskin,despitethefactofAli’sfailingmarriageandAva’sfraughtrelationshipwithheradultandadolescentchildren,eachfindsthemselfirresistiblydrawntotheother.Butcantheirmutualdesiretranscendabarrageofpersonalobstacles?
InspiredbypeopleBarnardencounteredwhilemakingheracclaimedfeaturesTheArborandTheSelfishGiant,Ali&Avaisafilmthatfeelsprofoundlyrootedinlivedexperience,blendingatenderemotionalcomplexitywithanattimesbracingdepictionoftraumaandgrief.AkhtarandRushbrook’sfinelyhuedperformancesspeaktothesetting’sculturaldiversityandtriballoyaltieswhileyieldingavulnerabilitythat’salternatelyheart-wrenchingandjoyous.Theirstoryservesasareminderthatitissometimestheleastlikelyconnectionsthataretheonesmostworthpursuing.
吉拉育·拉翁马尼,Pleng Chontida Asavahame
帕克·克罗夫特,埃米利娅·阿瑞斯·佐瑞安,巴拉克·哈德利,Millie Zinner,杰克·奥尔森,布巴甘特,杰西·加西亚,萨沙·拉斯穆森,乔恩·迈克尔·希尔,尼古拉·瓦尔伯特
林青霞,秦汉,张曼玉,吴耀汉,顾美华,严浩
加里·格兰特,莱斯利·卡伦,特瑞沃·霍华德
Terrence Howard,Gabrielle Union,Queen Latifah,Morris Chestnut,Charles Q. Murphy,Katt Williams,Faizon Love,Jill Marie Jones,Rachel True
李德龙,潘冠男,郑航,端木新卉,韩朔,王昊