More often than not, films set in Africa are presented very much from a post-colonial, Western perspective. Whether it's Robert Redford and Meryl Streep smooching on safari in Out Of Africa or Ralph Fiennes earnestly exposing corporate exploitation in The Constant Gardener, the story invariably revolves around the experiences of transient Europeans and Americans rather than the local inhabitants themselves.
How refreshing then to see a picture that actually focuses on Africans living in Africa, with no big game hunters or corrupt, caddish embassy officials in sight. A delight from start to finish, Africa United introduces us to a group of very different young people, each of whom in their own way gives a compelling insight into many issues this continent continues to face as well as the burgeoning opportunities.
There's Dudu, a street kid with infectious entrepreneurial flair, and his friend Beatrice, who dreams of becoming a doctor. Living in the same Rwandan town but in a different world in almost every other respect is Fabrice, a child of the country's emerging middle class with his mobile phone, gated house and TIME magazine-reading mother.
Fabrice is also a gifted footballer, and when he is spotted by a talent scout looking for youngsters to show off their skills at the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup, he, Dudu and Beatrice begin a somewhat implausible but utterly engrossing journey 3000 miles overland to the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. On the way, they team up with the marvellously named Foreman George, a runaway child soldier, and Celeste, a teenage prostitute, and together the group overcome a series of dangers, from gun-toting gangmasters to enraged wildlife, in pursuit of their goal.
What this film gives you is a sense of the real Africa, rather than the picture-postcard version. Yes, there's a few money shots of Victoria Falls and lions padding majestically by, but in general we see normal people going about their daily lives in a world that is sometimes chaotic but also characterised by great warmth and humanity. The young, mostly Rwandan and Congolese cast are superb, with a particularly affecting performance from Yves Dusenge as the troubled Foreman George, who has experienced more violence than any child should ever have to witness. But the central figure is Dudu (Eriya Ndayambaje) who constantly cajoles and inspires the others with his relentless enthusiasm for life despite carrying a terrible secret. His frequent malapropisms - for example the priceless 'the world is our ostrich' - only serve to make him even more endearing.
Africa United isn't wholly a homespun affair - director Debs Gardner-Paterson and writer Rhydian Brook are British - but overall it feels very much the work of the continent it depicts. The film strikes a good balance between feelgood factor and an unflinching focus upon serious social concerns, not least the AIDS epidemic which is Africa's single greatest threat, and while some scenes are a little contrived - the ending for one - Africa United's heart is so much in the right place you can forgive its occasional lapses.
Rating: 8 out of 10.
Thursday 18 November 2010
Monday 1 November 2010
Thoughts on the X Factor
The Sage has been quiet of late, and I must confess that one of the less excusable reasons for this lack of activity is my unhealthy addiction to the X Factor.
As a fan and occasional reviewer of usually obscure but often wonderful independent records, the shameless commercialism and utter banality of Simon Cowell's machiavellian musical manufacturing should be anathema to me, yet strangely I love it. Some people I speak to admit to obtaining a perverse pleasure from watching the car crash TV of the early auditions, with their intriguing array of deluded wannabes, comedy pensioners and alarming Jeremy Kyle Show-style sociopaths, but lose interest once it becomes a serious singing competition. I however know I will remain in the clutches of Cowell and company until the bitter end, resigned to the realisation that I lack the strength to stop planning my Sunday evening dining to coincide with the 8pm results show.
Anyway, on to the competition's hopefuls this year, and I genuinely have no idea who is going to win. You've got your usual likeable but bland favourites (Matt, Scouse Rebecca), the Su Bo clone (Mary), the quirky but slightly irritating one (Katie) and the ridiculously bad one who keeps getting through despite being awful every week (Wagner). I like Cher, even though she invariably has an expression like she's about to headbutt someone outside a kebab shop. She's a bit edgier and more 'street' than the show's normal slushy balladeers, which is my way of saying I've never heard of most of the songs she performs because I'm too old, but she proved with Shakespear's Sister this week that she can really sing too.
Paige seems a nice lad, but he won't win because he isn't pretty enough and dresses like Winston Churchill one week and a hungover student the next. One Direction are presumably so named because of their dancing skills (or rather lack of them, as all they do is shuffle around awkwardly on the spot hoping that noone notices only Liam can sing) while TreyC has little new to offer other than parents who can't spell and Aiden is a smug and deeply annoying Mark Lamarr lookalike who's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is.
Presiding over it all is the imperious Mr Cowell, whose withering assessments of the contestants remain the X Factor's highlight. Occasionally you see in his eyes the look of a shark eyeing up its next prey as an eager young starlet walks on stage for the first time and shows signs they could potentially be his next cash cow. 'Nation's sweetheart' Cheryl increasingly resembles a Geordie mannequin; Louis seems permanently on the brink of bursting into tears; Dannii appears rather disinterested before randomly chanting 'you rock!' while waving a fist in the air after one of her acts manages to sing in tune for the whole two minute duration of their performance.
It all makes for great entertainment, but it's time to pick a winner. Personally I hope Mary does it; a genuinely pleasant, humble lady with an absolutely belting voice - but it won't happen. In the recent past, we've seen charismatic Rhydian inexplicably defeated by the instantly forgettable Leon, and the inoffensive but dull Alexandra saw off the far more interesting Diana Vickers a couple of years ago too. For that reason, my money's on Rebecca - the judges love her, she has a story (young single mother from the rough inner city with confidence issues) and she has another one of those technically perfect but utterly undistinctive Whitney/Aretha/Mariah inspired voices that will sell records by the bucketload. Cher to finish second, with One Direction third. You heard it here first...
Regards
The Sage
As a fan and occasional reviewer of usually obscure but often wonderful independent records, the shameless commercialism and utter banality of Simon Cowell's machiavellian musical manufacturing should be anathema to me, yet strangely I love it. Some people I speak to admit to obtaining a perverse pleasure from watching the car crash TV of the early auditions, with their intriguing array of deluded wannabes, comedy pensioners and alarming Jeremy Kyle Show-style sociopaths, but lose interest once it becomes a serious singing competition. I however know I will remain in the clutches of Cowell and company until the bitter end, resigned to the realisation that I lack the strength to stop planning my Sunday evening dining to coincide with the 8pm results show.
Anyway, on to the competition's hopefuls this year, and I genuinely have no idea who is going to win. You've got your usual likeable but bland favourites (Matt, Scouse Rebecca), the Su Bo clone (Mary), the quirky but slightly irritating one (Katie) and the ridiculously bad one who keeps getting through despite being awful every week (Wagner). I like Cher, even though she invariably has an expression like she's about to headbutt someone outside a kebab shop. She's a bit edgier and more 'street' than the show's normal slushy balladeers, which is my way of saying I've never heard of most of the songs she performs because I'm too old, but she proved with Shakespear's Sister this week that she can really sing too.
Paige seems a nice lad, but he won't win because he isn't pretty enough and dresses like Winston Churchill one week and a hungover student the next. One Direction are presumably so named because of their dancing skills (or rather lack of them, as all they do is shuffle around awkwardly on the spot hoping that noone notices only Liam can sing) while TreyC has little new to offer other than parents who can't spell and Aiden is a smug and deeply annoying Mark Lamarr lookalike who's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is.
Presiding over it all is the imperious Mr Cowell, whose withering assessments of the contestants remain the X Factor's highlight. Occasionally you see in his eyes the look of a shark eyeing up its next prey as an eager young starlet walks on stage for the first time and shows signs they could potentially be his next cash cow. 'Nation's sweetheart' Cheryl increasingly resembles a Geordie mannequin; Louis seems permanently on the brink of bursting into tears; Dannii appears rather disinterested before randomly chanting 'you rock!' while waving a fist in the air after one of her acts manages to sing in tune for the whole two minute duration of their performance.
It all makes for great entertainment, but it's time to pick a winner. Personally I hope Mary does it; a genuinely pleasant, humble lady with an absolutely belting voice - but it won't happen. In the recent past, we've seen charismatic Rhydian inexplicably defeated by the instantly forgettable Leon, and the inoffensive but dull Alexandra saw off the far more interesting Diana Vickers a couple of years ago too. For that reason, my money's on Rebecca - the judges love her, she has a story (young single mother from the rough inner city with confidence issues) and she has another one of those technically perfect but utterly undistinctive Whitney/Aretha/Mariah inspired voices that will sell records by the bucketload. Cher to finish second, with One Direction third. You heard it here first...
Regards
The Sage
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