Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Micah Lloyd Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

bob the moo Slindile is a twelve year old orphan living with some of her brothers and sisters in the Agape orphanage in South Africa. The other siblings still live in the family home but had to give up the younger ones when their parents died and they did not have the money to feed all of the children and look after them. She now lives at the orphanage along with many other children who have lost, or been abandoned by their parents. Over several years this film follows the lives of those in the orphanage, with particular focus on Slindile, as they live their lives and also prepare for a trip to England to perform in order to raise money for Agape.I heard about this film on Shooting People and was pleased to see it get such publicity and a decent slot on terrestrial television recently. Watching it myself I must admit that the cynical bitter part of me (that'll be all the bits between the soles of my feet and my thinning hair) was prepared for the usual "African" fare of happy singing children, bright colours, bare feet and middle-class guilt. Forgive me this but on paper this is just what the film is but even those with hardest hearts will have to concede that the film is way more than just the clichés but is actually a challenging, uplifting and surprisingly hopeful film.With any documentary, the real work comes in getting the right subjects – particularly when you are making a film focused on a small group to illustrate a bigger story. Films can fall over by picking the wrong group or by focusing on the wrong people in a group, some of it is in the selection and maybe it can come in the edit if you have enough footage. Director Taylor doesn't really have this problem as he already knew his subjects from his time volunteering in a break from film school. He has already chosen his subjects and for him this is half the battle. That his subjects allow him to capture tragedy and loss as much as hope and happiness is down to them but it is all captured and brought together really well in the edit. The film wisely doesn't dwell on the issue of AIDS but rather just lets us see, through Slindile and her family, how it impacts just one family – the extrapolation of that it leaves to us to do from what we already know of the situation and the basic stats it provides at the end.It is compelling in both the sadness of it all but also the endless spirit of hope and survival that is maintained through everything. If I have a bad day at work I am useless in the evening, think how great about myself I felt watching this! Slindile is a great focal point because she is a beautiful girl but also one of those children who has their thoughts written on their face, the infectious smile is just another reason to love her. We see all this through her and she is a massive part in hooking the viewer into the reality of the situation – this film is not another "black people dying somewhere else" reports that we see so often on the news that it is practically just accepted as the way things are. The rest of the kids are great too but again it is not just about "cute kids" (although Mbali is undoubtedly the cutest child ever) but also the adults, as the film gives time to the elder siblings whose lot is not much better but whose spirits are just as strong.It is an impressive film from Taylor and really well pulled together by editor Hirakubo into an effective and engaging piece that gets the mix of emotions just right. Uplifting and challenging in equal measure – if you are not asking what you can do to help or where you can donate by the end of the film then there is genuinely something wrong with you. Simply put - a beautiful and moving film. www.wearetogether.org.

Chrisgb-91 The documentary has everything you want from a film which depicts and fantastically displays the culture of another collection of people from the globe. This collection being an orphanage in South Africa named 'Agape' in which children who have lost their parents go to stay and are looked after. The documentary follows the espionage as their truly mesmerising and powerful singing leads them into a whole new world which can open up doors for themselves back home and for many future South African's around their area. It also focuses on a large family who have lost their parents in which there is now a divide (The elder family members staying at the family home and the younger members staying at Agape because of the lack of finance to take care of them). The scenes where the family are together and participating in family banter and activities is really nice to watch...real people...living real lives but with many more obstructions and difficulties in their lives than many of us are fortunate not to experience. The affection and warmth and love within the family is just simply lovely to watch and is captured so well by the film. It also follows a plot in which the Agape espionage is trying to raise money for more funds to expand etc. and after a trip to England was cancelled plus other factors make it extremely hard for them to follow their dream. Will they reach it? If you haven't seen it then watch and find out.The music and singing seen in the documentary again is captured brilliantly...really showing and emphasising to the audience just how important music is to these children and their culture. It helps them in every aspect of life and you really do understand and appreciate how the music and singing has had a massive impact on their lives. The film also covers more harrowing subjects such as the effect of HIV on the family. Sifiso the big brother of the family being diagnosed which leads obviously to some really emotional scenes of pain and sorrow and hits you hard as to the fact that HIV is at large in these areas and the emotional challenges it unfortunately sets upon the family. Normally all we see about HIV is statistics and figures but this film helps us connect with the people, connect with the family during their time of bereavement and really get across the emotional and painful side to HIV rather than numbers. It follows a truly great story with harsh realities of life a massive part and also involving so many wonderful kids who have some great personalities and great voices who have a dream to make their lives better and many more generations to come better by doing what they do best...sing. Emotional, touching, funny, hard-hitting, family, lovely...a great piece from the upcoming filmmaker Paul Taylor. Great documentary following a great story.

vincent-251 There's a couple of dozen more adjectives I could have used in the title. We Are Together hits the audience on so many levels that I couldn't possibly mention them all. This is a truly wonderful film and my only concern is that people won't go out and see it because they feel it's just another 'tragic Africa story' that gives Westerners the chance to portray themselves as saviours. I admit I suspected it might be such a film and was relieved to find it isn't. Not in the slightest.While the story's tragic subject matter gets the attention it deserves, you'll spend just as much time laughing at the humour, sharing in the children's excitement, and for every tear you shed in sympathy, you'll shed one out of sheer joy.

sammyspieler WE ARE TOGETHER has everything you could want in a film. Most films say they'll make you laugh and cry and you think it's a cliché (because 9 times out of 10 it is). WE ARE TOGETHER really will do all that, and more. It's sad, funny, brave, the music is extraordinary and it's ultimately uplifting, inspiring and incredibly well crafted. Above all, the film was clearly made with a great deal of love and the kids in the movie as well as the filmmakers should be proud of their work. I saw it at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won a bunch of awards but I believe it's being released early next year. Cant wait to go see it again and take all my friends! I'm backing this horse for the Oscars - if that Academy has any sense that it.