Based on a true story, this is about Jan Volkes, a bartender in a small Welsh town, scraping a living, but dreaming of doing something that will give her hope and purpose – and inject some energy into her depressed former mining village. With little money or experience, she and a group of villagers decide to club together and buy a (potential) race horse, each making a weekly contribution. They look after it and breed with it, hoping to produce a champion stallion. The resulting little foal seems an unlikely race horse, but it is a symbol of hope, carrying the dreams of the village. This is a gentle, human story, with humour, tears and a rousing end. It is all about following your dreams!!
You can either book here on the Sheepscombe web site or just turn up on Tuesday. The usual donation applies; masks are still requested and we will seat you gently socially distanced!
A crow’s egg is a special favourite of two little brothers who live in a slum area of Chennai (Madras), supplementing the family income by foraging for coal. The boys have their dreams and, when a pizza parlour opens nearby, they are desperate to try this new delicacy, not least because it is eaten by posh people. But one slice costs the enormous sum of 300 rupees; nevertheless, they are determined to try to earn enough to buy a slice. They face many obstacles, not least grasping politicians, corrupt businessmen and petty bureaucrats – coupled with vague satirical allusions to wider issues of globalization and the impact of advertising. The kids refuse to be put down, mainly due to the quality of innocence that comes from the naturalistic performances of the boys; the film stays light and bright in a feel-good and heart warming sense.
This is another film with a message about following your dreams! It is all a shameless satire of the extraordinary world of ballroom dancing. A young and talented ballroom dancer longs to dance “his own steps” – which is against the rules. So, in the run up to the Pan Pacific Championships, his flashy partner ditches him and his mother has screaming fits. He does get support from Fran, but she is only a beginner – and the opposite of flashy. These two misfits set out to compete – spectacularly helped by her Spanish peasant father.
The film is full of vibrant energy, dazzling colours – and a sense of madness. The dancing is thrilling to watch, even if you are not into dancing. It has an unforced charm, played with an ironic wink. A bit corny, but it is truly good fun and great entertainment. What more could you want?
You can either book here on the Sheepscombe web site or just turn up on Tuesday. The usual donation applies; masks are still requested and we will seat you gently socially distanced!
We have kept Mr Bond waiting since 11th January, so we will give him his outing on 8th February; he may be a bit shaken by then, but he won’t be stirred. More details on “No Time To Die” in Sheepscombe News. The film is 3 hours long, so we will start at 7.30 – and you may wish to bring a cushion.
An elderly (German) couple decide, as a special treat, to visit their children and grandchildren now living away in Berlin. When they arrive, their children are too busy with their own lives and have no time for them (a tribute to ‘Tokyo Story’). Unexpectedly, the wife suddenly dies. When looking through her things, the husband realises that his wife devoted herself to him so much that she had sacrificed her own dreams: to visit Japan and to enjoy ‘Butoh’ – a modern Japanese dance style. To make up, he goes to Japan, where he meets a young Japanese woman dancing in the park in Butoh style – to cope with her own mother’s death. They become friends and go to see Mount Fuji, which his wife had always wanted to see. He wakes one night, sees Mt Fuji in the moonlight and goes to the lake where he imitates Butoh – and is joined by a vision of his wife. It is a deep, and ultimately tender story first about the contacts and the feelings between an elderly couple and their children and then about what it means to miss out on your dreams when young.
More information is available in Sheepscombe News
Please either book on the Sheepscombe web site or just come on spec. The usual donation applies; masks are still requested and we will seat you gently socially distanced!
A history professor (Lu) was arrested during the Cultural Revolution in China – when it was offence enough just to be a professor, and sent to a ‘re-education’ camp/prison. Ten years later, he escapes and the authorities warn his family of repercussions if they try to help him. He does try to return home, but his daughter, who hardly knows him, betrays him to the authorities, which leads to his recapture. Three years later, the now exonerated Lu is released home, but his wife now has a form of amnesia: she remembers she has a husband, but does not recognize him when he returns. Lu makes various gentle attempts to jog her memory, but they achieve little.
This film is excellent, the work of a world-class director. All the three main actors are amazing: Gong Li especially as the wife; one of the great actresses of our time, plays down her own natural beauty and screen charisma. It is a powerful story, romantic and sad – with a beautifully understated ending.
