Ali & Ava

One of Britain’s most distinctive new voices is writer/director Clio Barnard, whose unblinking look at a working-class town in West Yorkshire reflects the new realities of 21st century Britain. Her fourth film follows the love story of Ava (Claire Rushbrook), the Irish-born matriarch of a large family living at a housing estate, and Ali (Adeel Akhtar), her charismatic Pakistani landlord. Their bond grows out of a passion for music from Dylan to bhangra grooves, and a commitment to caring for the people around them. Longing for intimacy, they are held back by family expectations and corrosive secrets: Ali hasn’t told his family he is estranged from his wife, and Ava is hiding the damage inflicted by her abusive ex-husband.