Ali & Ava

The director of THE ARBOR makes her most accessible and straightforward film to date in this modern yet classic take on British “working class realism”. Influenced by the cinema of Ken Loach, the film tells a love story reminiscent of Romeo & Juliet between people of different races and social classes who have already entered their fifties but have not yet given up on love. Despite the conflicts that arise from their different backgrounds, ALI & AVA is a romantic, optimistic, deeply humanist film that might almost seem old-fashioned if it weren’t for certain formal choices and decisions the director makes. And while Loach’s cinema (and even Mike Leigh’s) can be compared to what Barnard proposes here, the director works in a lighter fashion, even when she has to deal with the potentially heavy moments and complicated family issues that appear along the way. And while there are side characters willing to prevent this romance from moving forward, the film never loses its “realistic fairy tale” spirit, an optimism that emanates from the protagonists themselves and their desire for to take new chances in their lives. (Diego Lerer)

Clio Barnard: LAMBETH MARSH (2000, K), FLOOD (2003, K), DARK GLASS (2006, K), THE ARBOR (2010), THE SELFISH GIANT (2013), DARK RIVER (2017)