bulgarianmaria

i saw this tonight at the tribeca film festival. a truly rewarding exploration of the director's childhood, with honest yet loving depictions of his parents. grant has avoided the expected African clichés — safaris, tribal dances, national geographic wonders — and has chosen instead a very personal viewpoint of colonial Africa. that originality is part of the film's beauty. the other ingredients: strong characters, in the hands of byrne and watson especially, that are humane and varied. the plot is dramatic, yet i left the theater envigorated and full of joy. my love to all the crew and cast — it was a gift to see this.