from the Rio Film festival 2007.
Pacey and provocative, set in London leading up to the Notting Hill Carnival, this film tells about people fighting to overcome their day to day problems as they try to realize their dreams. Writer / director Teddy Hayes skilfully wove each story into the overall emotional tapestry that fit together in a way similar to “Amores Perros”.
The samba music moves the crowd, especially when scenes of the Notting Hill Carnival explode onto the screen with lots of vibrant colour and movement followed by a live performance by samba master Martinho Da Vila who performs with London’s Paraiso samba school.
My favourite part was a scene between Madelena, (Claudia Balducci), a Brazilian illegal immigrant who speaks no English and Shaun (Willan Shombe) a West Indian who speaks no Portuguese), who somehow manage to find love despite their inability to communicate through words.
A most compelling performance was delivered by Andrew Smith as Douglass the immigration agent driven by a jealous rage to seek revenge on all Brazilian because his wife’s infidelity with a Brazilian. In his jealous frenzy Douglass strikes out at two innocent Brazilian illegals who become the target of his wrath.
This film is a shot in the arm to an otherwise drab London independent film scene with its all too common tales about down at the heel losers living on council estates, feeling sorry for themselves and confused about their lives. This film offers hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. But most importantly this film never loses sight of the view that film is meant to entertain rather than be an onscreen mirror for audience neurosis.
Pacey and provocative, set in London leading up to the Notting Hill Carnival, this film tells about people fighting to overcome their day to day problems as they try to realize their dreams. Writer / director Teddy Hayes skilfully wove each story into the overall emotional tapestry that fit together in a way similar to “Amores Perros”.
The samba music moves the crowd, especially when scenes of the Notting Hill Carnival explode onto the screen with lots of vibrant colour and movement followed by a live performance by samba master Martinho Da Vila who performs with London’s Paraiso samba school.
My favourite part was a scene between Madelena, (Claudia Balducci), a Brazilian illegal immigrant who speaks no English and Shaun (Willan Shombe) a West Indian who speaks no Portuguese), who somehow manage to find love despite their inability to communicate through words.
A most compelling performance was delivered by Andrew Smith as Douglass the immigration agent driven by a jealous rage to seek revenge on all Brazilian because his wife’s infidelity with a Brazilian. In his jealous frenzy Douglass strikes out at two innocent Brazilian illegals who become the target of his wrath.
This film is a shot in the arm to an otherwise drab London independent film scene with its all too common tales about down at the heel losers living on council estates, feeling sorry for themselves and confused about their lives. This film offers hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. But most importantly this film never loses sight of the view that film is meant to entertain rather than be an onscreen mirror for audience neurosis.