Naptha

***1/2

Reviewed by: Amber Wilkinson

Naptha
"Hussain, ably supported by nuanced and heartfelt performances from Ignacius and Ladwa, wastes no time in quickly establishing a believable relationship between the two men" | Photo: Courtesy of La Semaine de la Critique

A meditation on lost and gained heritage and being the first generation of your family to be born in Britain - or, for that matter, the first generation of your family to leave the place of your birth - is given a science-fiction edge in this short film by Moin Hussain although this is, at heart, a father and son story.

The father and son in question are Malik (Ernest Igancius) and Faraz (Divian Ladwa), who run the family's small, old school petrol station between them. Hussain, ably supported by nuanced and heartfelt performances from Ignacius and Ladwa, wastes no time in quickly establishing a believable relationship between the two men, while also hinting at something shifting, as Faraz keeps coming across his father praying in language that is foreign to him and talking about "going home".

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This is a delicate film - and the second of Hussain's films to be selected for the prestigious Cannes Critics' Week after Real Gods Require Blood. It captures the way children can easily forget that their parents lived a life long before they were born and the way these relationships can shift over time in terms of who does the caring and who needs to be cared for. The lensing from Tim Sidell smoothly mixes the everyday with more experimental elements - something he previously showed an aptitude for in Norfolk - and there's certainly no lack of ambition, although it's debatable whether the story needs the mystical science-fiction trappings to make its point.

Please Speak Continuously And Describe Your Experiences As They Come To You is available to watch for free on Festival Scope until June 2

Reviewed on: 27 May 2019
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Faraz’s quiet life working at an isolated petrol station is turned upside down when his ageing father Malik begins to speak in a long-forgotten language and insists on returning back home.

Director: Moin Hussain

Writer: Moin Hussain

Starring: Divian Ladwa, Ernest Ignatius, Suleiman Hussain Ali, Divian Ladwa, Ernest Ignatius, Suleiman Hussain Ali

Year: 2018

Runtime: 18 minutes

Country: UK

Festivals:

Cannes 2019

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