LFF 2020: Farewell Amor
lff 2020
The opening image of Farewell Amor has all the hallmarks of a final scene. Against the backdrop of an expansive glass wall, a man hands flowers to a woman in an airport – an outpouring of love in the most public of spaces. When contextualised in Ekwa Msangi’s feature-length debut, we realise it’s not the denouement of a courtship but rather the next phase in a relationship that has been torn apart by higher powers.
It’s the reason why all three segments, each representing a different character, open with this indelible image. For Walter (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine), Esther (Zainab Jah) and daughter Sylvia (Jayme Lawson), it’s the moment that provides closure to their 17-year separation, a consequence of the Angolan Civil War and the subsequent relocation to Tanzania. Walter, needing to provide for his family, emigrated to New York and holds down a job as a taxi driver, but nearly two decades of detachment is enough to destroy even the most tight-knit of families.
After their initial reconnection, a more meaningful one is sought, but Msangi’s film details the struggle in negotiating the obstacles that prevent such things. Each character, naturally, processes the situation in different ways depending on their unique traits and personalities; Walter is torn by his obligation to his wife and his love for Linda (Nana Mensah), whilst Esther’s devotion to religion poses a problem in processing the infidelity and also adjusting to a more secular society.
Sylvia, whose arc is strategically placed in between that of her parents, has the most on her plate – needing to reconnect with her distant father whilst acclimating to school life and a new home. With the help of DJ (Marcus Scribner), a good-hearted student, she unlocks her passion and natural ability for dance, using it as a cultural gateway and self-confidence booster. In a rare moment of connection, Walter confides that dance is what cemented his bond with Esther, representing a generational love that can be shared even amidst both temporal and geographical distance. This theme is portrayed beautifully when husband and wife share a dance in a restaurant; with barely an extravagant motion or word being spoken, we see the intimacy that brought these two together.
The film is less successful when depicting the art in Sylvia’s arc, with the inclusion of a local competition being trite and predictable. With DJ acting as a motivator of sorts, this section progressively takes the form of a sports drama, feeling out of place when compared to how dance is so tenderly presented as both a personal and communal bond. Similarly, Syllvia’s experiences at school feel rote as opposed to Walter’s and Esther’s more nuanced arcs, due to some clunky writing and a lack of chemistry between Lawson and Scribner.
Even if Msangi doesn’t quite pinpoint the personal exchanges in American society, she does capture New York’s vibrancy and energy. The local area, with a variety of African communities, is fittingly colourful both in costume and production design, with the glint of the sunshine piercing through skyscrapers and bathing the streets. As Esther is given a tour by Nzingha (Joie Lee), the charismatic neighbour, the frame is embellished with striking patterns, cacophonous noise and a thudding rhythm, heightening the senses to match Esther’s first-time experience. These subtler moments are where Farewell Amor thrive, allowing its characters to make sense of their newfound world and situation. The triadic structure, though not wholly successful, shows that each member needs to find their own path before they can connect as a unit; like the film itself, there may be bumps in the road, but with empathy and understanding the family at its centre will eventually get there.