Soul Boy #2

Another Soul Boy! This time we travel to Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya, where a young boy finds his father delirious and debilitated after gambling away his soul. On instruction from the local 'witch', the boy has until the following morning to face a series of his father’s greatest fears in order to restore his soul.

This production was born from an initiative headed by German production company One Fine Day Films. Produced and supervised by Tom Twkyer (director of Run Lola Run), the company set out to equip the local community with the skills and technology to produce a film. The project has a lot of merit, both in process and the finished result; I was drawn into the colourful labyrinth of Kibera by the strong cast of non-actors as they brought an age-old folk tale to life. At times the plot comes across as simplistic, however, the film interweaves some interesting cultural and religious phenomena, and flows at a pumping ‘Lola-esque’ pace; short and sweet works! Read more about the project here: Soul Boy

Yo, Tambien (Me, Too)

Daniel was born with Down's Syndrome, but through his mother's determination and relentless hard work, he is well educated and relatively independent. After graduating from university, he starts his first job in the Department of Social Services where he falls in love with his enigmatic co-worker Laura. With her own demons concerning love, trust and relationships with men, Laura drops her guard and the two strike up a close friendship. For a time together, they experience what it's like to feel 'normal'. But soon, the close-mindedness from their surrounding world begins to creep in and eat away at their bond.

Brimming with humour and humanity, this poignant Spanish drama is without doubt one of my favourites from this year's EIFF. What I loved about it was that it wasn't so much about people who are different just because they have an extra chromosome; it's a more universal story of humans who constantly struggle to fit in.

In following these two beautiful characters, we come to realise the importance of self acceptance and expression. With all the best intentions Daniel's mother has essentially created a shell of normality around her son; he thinks and feels the same as everyone else. But when he is treated differently in the real world, the shell cracks and crumbles, leaving him more vulnerable than ever. It asks the question, is happiness found in normality or the acceptance of our peculiarity? The film frequently visits a dance studio where Daniel's sister-in-law runs classes for young people with Down's Syndrome. The scenes are incredible; the strength and conviction of movement, and the sheer intensity of human expression is alien to our 'normal' world; these young adults can express themselves with a purity that most of us have learnt to suppress.

Off the Wall....

Au Revoir Taipei

This delightfully silly homage to French New Wave cinema is set on the bustling streets of Taipei. In order to visit his girlfriend in Paris, a young man borrows money from an uncle and agrees to pick up a 'package' for him. With his awkward school friend and a cute girl he meets in a book shop, the threesome become entangled in a ring of crime, drugs, kidnapping and dumplings! This is a cheesy and quirky Taiwanese romance, washed down with a Jazz Manouche inspired soundtrack... loved it.

The Black Panther

When the director Iyari Wertta introduced this film, he encouraged the audience to stick it out... it would all become clear in the end! Exhaustion forced me out of the game fairly early when it came to making sense from this noir-ish piece of Mexican surrealism. However, adamant to find meaning, my dear friend concentrated from beginning to end and still came out of the cinema wondering where the last two hours had gone. All I can say is that the film follows a private eye who is instructed by a God-like figure to find 'The Black Panther'. The rest is a cinematic brew of flying saucers, lesbians, large hairy dogs and cryogenics. Tempted?

The Extra Man

A young writer (Paul Dano) moves to New York where he finds a roommate of another era: a charismatic yet miserly old man (Kevin Kline) who is dedicated to etiquette and works as an escort for ancient aristocratic ladies. This is a strange buddy movie, extroverted and exaggerated in every way. As the rest of the audience enjoyed a good belly laugh, sadly, for reasons unknown, I remained somewhat stone-faced and silent throughout the film. Another victim of my film fatigue?