Farewell Amor is a 2020 American drama film written and directed by Ekwa Msangi. It premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.[3] The film tells the story of a family of Angolan immigrants who reunite in the United States after a years-long separation, and is told from the perspective of the mother, father, and daughter.[4]
| Farewell Amor | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Ekwa Msangi |
| Written by | Ekwa Msangi |
| Produced by | Bobby Allen Sam Bisbee Ekwa Msangi Joe Plummer Josh Penn Huriyyah Muhammad |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Bruce Francis Cole |
| Edited by | Jeanne Applegate Justin Chan |
| Music by | Osei Essed |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | IFC Midnight MUBI |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Portuguese |
| Box office | $4,689[2] |
Plot
editWalter came to the United States from Angola long ago in search of a better life. He has since settled in New York where he works as a cab driver. His wife Esther and daughter Sylvia are just now able to join him in the US after 17 years apart. Both Walter and Esther have found ways to cope with the time and distance apart—with Walter carrying on a new relationship, and Esther finding community in the church. Walter regretfully breaks up with his girlfriend Linda prior to his family’s arrival. In Brooklyn, the family of three must share a one-bedroom apartment. Esther finds herself struggling not only to adjust to a new country and culture, but also to a distant husband and a marriage that has seemingly lost its fire. The teenage Sylvia also struggles with homesickness, but pursues dance against the wishes of her mother.
Cast
edit- Ntare Mwine as Walter
- Zainab Jah as Esther
- Jayme Lawson as Sylvia
- Joie Lee as Nzingha
- Marcus Scribner as DJ
- Nana Mensah as Linda
- Brandon Lamar as Tall Handsome
- Felipe Almonte as Loving Boyfriend
- Dylan Flashner as MC
- Sanjit De Silva as Mr. Uno
- Darlene Arrington as Dirty Dozen
- Joel Michaely as Aubrey
- Souléymane Sy Savané as Pastor Ogunbemi
Release
editIt was released on December 11, 2020 in the USA. It was released on December 18, 2020 on MUBI.[5] It was screened at 51st International Film Festival of India in January 2021 in World Panorama section.[6]
Home media
editOn June 14, 2022, Farewell Amor was released on Blu-Ray and DVD by The Criterion Collection.[7][8]
Reception
editFarewell Amor received critical praise, holding a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 71 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A striking debut feature for writer-director Ekwa Msangi, Farewell Amor movingly captures the fallout from a long-separated family's reunion."[9] Metacritic reports a score of 75 out of 100 based on the opinions of 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[10]
Farewell Amor was praised for its acting and direction.[3][4] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Kevin Crust wrote, "Though the film is shaped by big topics such as immigration, race, identity and religion, its power lies in its universality achieved through the small human details that tell its story of love and family. Its beauty lies in its empathy — something currently in short supply and therefore very welcome in the stories we consume."[11]
References
edit- ^ Gheron, Meghan (January 23, 2020). "Sundance 2020 Women Directors: Ekwa Msangi - "Farewell Amor"". Women and Hollywood. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ "Farewell Amor (2020)". The Numbers. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Allen, Nick (February 2, 2020). "Sundance 2020: The 40-Year-Old Version, Farewell Amor, Sylvie's Love | Festivals & Awards | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Kiang, Jessica (January 28, 2020). "'Farewell Amor': Film Review". Variety.
- ^ "IFC Films: Farewell Amor". IFC Films. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "IFFI Unveils List Of Films Under World Panorama Section". Business World. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021 – via ANI.
- ^ "Farewell Amor". Criterion. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ Smith, Derek (June 23, 2022). "Blu-ray Review: Ekwa Msangi's Farewell Amor on the Criterion Collection". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Farewell Amor (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
- ^ "Farewell Amor". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Crust, Kevin (December 11, 2020). "Review: 'Farewell Amor' is a finely acted immigrant tale that will make you want to dance". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
External links
edit- Farewell Amor at IMDb
- Farewell Amor: Coming Over an essay by Tiana Reid at the Criterion Collection