Charlie Wiseman
From Glasgow to Havana via Bafta: I am writing my second review, after 'Fifty Kisses', not as a filmmaker, but as a fan. When Jean Luc Godard was first interested in film, he wrote in 'Cahiers DE Cinema', creating film dialogue of auteur, so in this vein, I hope to create a thoughtful level of critique rather than playing the line of industry games. Note that Kermode also described the film as 'thoughtful', as though in surprise, and having 'a plethora of themes'. What he doesn't point out though is what a daring feat it is to take a departure from formulaic movies to film that has no rigid genre. In the after discussion at the Vue, Piccadilly the Glaswegian writer, Eirene Houston, sits with producer Jonathan Rae and director John Roberts, to make clear that they fought over every scene. "It was like a family made film then?" Chris delightedly asks, while Judy Goldberg takes photos.The following Friday we are going to see a screening and reception for 'Fifty Kisses' at Bafta, also produced by Judy and Chris, celebrating its Guinness Record Status, for the number of people to work on a film. This will be a light relief after the highly emotional days of listening to extremely brave and moving women, like Judy Goldberg talk of overcoming painful, personal experience; or the focused Catherine Artin sharing her compassion; as well as seeing Malala Yousafzai just a few weeks ago in conversation at 'Women of the World' at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, eerily overwhelming, cheering and miraculous after her near death experience. There is positive explosion of women actors, writers, thinkers at 'Day of the Flowers' revelling in tales of their differences, but ultimately making a low budget film on two million pounds, in Cuba itself. I am all for that family feel having started with Kafkaesque Frank Castorf, at Berlin People's Stage, who has had a Turk with little language ability at the stage door and a young man running the box office with a hunchback for over fifteen years, both happy and unemployable elsewhere. Airbrushed cosmetic theatres of Western Europe are put to shame simply by this alone. After we put the homeless and gypsies on stage, Frank wanting to keep pace allowed the most gifted to join the ensemble and tour Europe. To return to 'Day of the Flowers', shot in Cuba, Vernon Layton and director John Roberts point out what a big star impressive ballet ace, Carlos Acosta is, himself from poverty-stricken origins, which informed Eirene's writing of those heartening kinds who are not broken, but raised up to immense courage when under pressure. The film seamlessly melds alluring landscapes, filmed on 35mm by Vernon Layton, with the story of mismatched sisters Rosa and Ailie whose tense relationship overlaps with the relationship of their parents, supporters of the Cuban revolution. There is something in the air with Judy Goldberg starting a campaign for 'Be Heard', a short film competition for victims of abuse, which I take interest in supporting as most homeless are on the street to avoid abuse, from family. Like her, Eirene Houston, Cathy Arton, on IMDb: also Jonathan Rae, John Roberts, Vernon Layton and Chris Jones. 'Day of the Flowers' is as fragile and vibrant as real life, flowing scenes integrated at the last minute, admit writer Eirene, director John and producer Jonathan. John adds the flexibility ' keeps the acting fresh'.Eva Birtwhistle and Charity Wakefield bristle as wayward sisters, the former Rosa, genuinely named after tragic revolutionary Rosa Luxembourg. She is willing to fore-go all private pleasure touchingly in a quest to save the planet; idolising her father while the younger Ailie is freer, willing to take what life throws at her whether good or bad. I am staying silent as to all unexpected and outrageous twists that bring script alive as I don't wish to spoil.. Another humorous aspect to the film is the fact that director of photography Vernon Layton wanted to do some producing, in a minor capacity for a change, when their Director of Photography pulled out, as it clashed with other work, so Vernon had to step in as DOP! He explains how he preferred shooting on 35 mm film as it lends 'the film the look of a tapestry'; 'beautiful old crumbling buildings make a great setting.' He also mentions later to me how he 'did the 'Rock Circus' of the Stones'. I perceive him in my mind's eye, walking around the Cuban cities where they shoot, finding interesting angles of exotic buildings to make the decaying grandeur of an ex-colony reflect the heightened mental states of the two young women. The actors mix the aesthetically pleasing with dramatic interludes of them finding new inner dimensions in the hypnotic landscapes they encounter; dancing late nights for the love of beautiful local men, including the star Carlos Acosta who is a member if the Royal Ballet although Cuban. His zest for life and screen presence adds a dimension that dramatically alters any false view of Cuban people as lost souls in need of a Western injection: he refreshingly lives for dance. We see how relative poverty neither enables or detracts from the ability of individuals to stand out from others if they chose better lives as he teaches others dance. He is in stark contrast to the villainous family in the Cuban countryside trying to exploit innocent foreigners. Rosa retrieves her father's ashes from their fate as a tragic golfing prize and flees to deliver them to a river in Cuba. I am delighted that the writer and partner Laura have an hour long chat about character writing in the pub afterwards, with Eirene dropping hints about character scripting. Remember to vote on IMDb so it becomes a cult classic.
cpert01
I saw it at the Edinburgh Film festival and love it. Two quarrelling sisters become reluctant travel partners when they set off from Scotland to Cuba. Their journey throws up more than a few surprises and laughs along the way. Their quest to discover more about their father's communist past leads to a voyage of self discovery. The humour is balanced with an intelligent portrayal of how each sister struggles, in different ways, with the cultural stereotypes and socio- political tensions that arise. The writer, Eirenie Houston, offers a balanced assessment of the complexities associated with tourism in Cuba, avoiding sentimentality or judgement. Set in the ambiance of Havana, with stunning cinematography and beautiful dance scenes, not least from the Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta, this film will have you heading down to the travel agents.
