Ben Bond c/o Starcross Entertainment. Artists: Jonathan Ajayi, Lucie Bourdeu.
film
Freedom of Movement THE DRIFTERS A love story between an African immigrant and a French wait- the pair’s turbulent companionship, Bond creates a playful “Regardless of the ress set in Brexit-torn Britain, The Drifters arrives when polari- landscape by imbuing the film with lush palettes and familiar reactionary climate sation is at its peak. The film traces a tentative romance be- cinematic cues. “We were trying to use colour to tell a story that it will be received into, The Drifters' tween gentle spirit Koffee (Jonathan Ajayi) and rambunctious with dark themes in an entertaining and romantic way.” Bond cites European influences such as Bernardo Bertoluc- adroit ability to coax Fanny (Lucie Bourdeu), whose paths entwine before leading them to an idyllic (though independence-leaning) coastal ci’s The Conformist and Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert lightness out of a as key visual markers for the film. “On the British side, films dark and divisive town. “Make Britain great again,” reads a street banner. “I’d become interested in the issue of freedom of movement, like A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus and The Red moment in history which, of course, is now tragically relevant for everybody,” Shoes – a lot of early Powell and Pressburger collaborations aspires to endure.” explains filmmaker Ben Bond of his bucolic yet bittersweet – influenced the film,” Bond confirms. “Technicolour also infeature debut. Notable when watching Koffee and Fanny’s ro- formed the vividness we wanted to bring to the screen.” The performances are timeless. Bourdeu – a seasoned mance unfurl are the varying restrictions on their hopes and aspirations. Fanny – a Quentin Tarantino aficionado – holds French television actress – maintains a nimble performance an unwavering and extroverted approach to becoming an ac- reminiscent of 1960s French films. Meanwhile, Bond discovtress in America, something she hopes to pursue after apply- ered Ajayi in a London production of The Brothers Size, writing for citizenship. Koffee is under constant threat of being ten by Moonlight playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. Yet, in spite of The Drifters’ vibrant homage to the past, it deported, and toggles between petty crime and long shifts at a car wash to try and stay afloat. A botched final job, that he arrives when attitudes towards immigration remain splintered. hoped would secure a passport, sends the pair on the run to Bond, a staunch supporter of the European Union, hopes that the film leaves a poignant message with fellow-minded viewa community who don’t take kindly to stowaways. “I really wanted to shoot somewhere that I knew I could ers, though anticipates a much different reception from Brexi- Words make look beautiful,” Bond explains of the film’s predomi- teers. “It’s a really interesting place that we find ourselves in,” Beth Webb nantly coastal setting. “I grew up where we shot it, so I knew he confirms. Regardless of the reactionary climate that it will the secret places, and how to avoid it looking downtrodden be received into, The Drifters’ adroit ability to coax lightness or bleak.” In spite of the inescapably political positioning of out of a dark and divisive moment in history aspires to endure. starcrossentertainment.com
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