BlackStar Film Festival Review: “Farewell Amor” Delivers a Touching Story About An Angolan Family Reuniting in the United States
Former 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, once believed that the United States is a nation of immigrants. A descendant of Irish immigrants, Kennedy was so passionate about the importance of immigration that he wrote a book about it. And yet, for some reason (answer: racism), our current administration makes it extremely hard for people to legally immigrate to the country. With growing restrictions on visas, workers, students, and families find it harder than ever to obtain the American dream. That is why it is admirable that Tanzanian American director and writer Ekwa Msangi highlights the struggles immigrant families face in the United States in her remarkably heartfelt family drama, Farewell Amor.
Farewell Amor follows Walter (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine), an Angolan immigrant reuniting with his wife and daughter in the United States. After spending seventeen years apart, the middle-aged man struggles to reconnect with his family as they share a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Due to visa issues, Walter spends the last several years making a life for himself in America while his family stays back in Tanzania. He becomes a cab driver, goes out clubbing, and even has an affair with a nurse named Linda (Nana Mensah). Though the family is finally together under one roof, these people are strangers to one another. His pious wife, Esther (Zainab Jah), wants nothing to do with American culture. Whereas his teenage daughter, Slyvia (Jayme Lawson), an aspiring dancer, misses hanging out with her friends back at home. But with a little love, patience, and a surprise love for dancing, these three immigrants learn to become a family like never before.
The family drama features a fine group of performers. With credits in films and television shows such as Blood Diamond and The Chi, Ugandan American actor Mwine knows how to make Walter feel multidimensional. From bumping into his ex-girlfriend at the club to encouraging his daughter to participate in a dance competition, Mwine effortlessly portrays Walter with a high level of pain, regret, and joy. Jah also brings a lot of depth to the family drama as Walter’s devout wife, Esther. Though tough and religious on the outside, the immigrant mother fears losing her family to America. It is a fear many mothers, immigrant or not, can relate to. First-time feature actor Lawson also excels as Slyvia. Her confidence and teenage rebelliousness radiate every time she is on the screen. The supporting cast is excellent too. Marcus Scribner of Black-ish fame is charming as ever as Slyvia’s high school friend DJ, and Joie Lee brings quirky next-door neighbor energy as Nzingha.
Notably, Msangi makes a story about an immigrant family reuniting in Brooklyn feels so unique. Instead of just focusing on Walter, the filmmaker divides the drama up between each family member. This type of story structure can be gimmicky or worst, cliché. But by giving each character their moment to shine, the film shows the family as individuals with different motives and worldviews. We see Walter fully assimilate into American culture with his love of clubbing and dancing, Slyvia gaining new friends as she joins a dance troupe, and Esther stepping out of her comfort zone as she hangs outs with Nzingha. And speaking of these beautifully crafted scenes, cinematographer Bruce Francis Cole does a great job of setting a somber tone to the film with his emphasis on blues and golds. Music composer Osei Essed also cleverly calls back to the family’s roots by featuring upbeat songs from Angolan artists such as Jéssica Pitbull and musical hip hop group Gaia Beat.
The film also depicts the struggles families face to immigrate to America remarkably well. Contrary to what politicians of a particular political stripe think, it is tough for families to immigrate to the United States. These families have to jump through so many hoops, including strict quotas on certain nationalities and a limited number of green cards for applicants without college degrees. Because of these draconian policies, many families have to wait years or sometimes decades to immigrate to the US – which in effect forces many people to leave their loved ones behind. Take, for instance, Walter’s predicament in the film. Due to the US immigration system, Walter waits seventeen years to reunite with his family. That seventeen-year separation creates a rift so massive it nearly rips his family apart. Perhaps if politicians spend more time helping families immigrate to the US legally instead of condemning them, people like Walter can be with their families sooner than later.
When we talk about immigration in the United States, we tend to focus on statistics and facts. But what we need to do is concentrate on the very people it affects. Thankfully, Msangi knows that it is the stories like Walter and his family that resonate the most with people. Along with its stellar casting, brilliant storytelling, and bombastic soundtrack, the filmmaker delivers a touching story about an Angolan family reuniting in the United States.
