A Family tries to reunite in Farewell Amor

by Kathia Woods

Immigration is a hot topic in the United States. It’s being painted as specifically as immigrants wanting to climb over the wall and infuriate the United States however we never discuss the pains families endure coming to America legally. Farewell Amour tackles this subject via an Angolan family reunited after 17 years apart.

Director Ekwa Msangi based Farewell Amour on stories told to her by her family members. She carefully showed how the family individually struggled to reconnect after being forced apart due to civil war. The film opens with the family reuniting at the airport. All seems joyous however we soon discover that the reunion is filled with hesitation.

Walter the patriarch was living a solitary life. He now has to assume the roles of father and husband. A role he no longer wore comfortably. Esther on the other hand was ready to assume her role as wife. In her mind time has no effect upon her marriage. Unbeknownst to Walter she had become quite religious. Sylvia the daughter was caught between getting to know her father and her mother’s inability to realize that African ways weren’t always coinciding with American ways.

The are many positives in Farewell Armour. First the performances by Ntare Guma Mbahao Mwine (Walter), Zainab Jah (Esther) and Jayme Lawson (Sylvia) are outstanding. Each one is struggling to find their way but at essence is love. I also like how Msangi shows that life for immigrants is not easy in the United States. Many struggle to find jobs and seek the solace of their fellow countrymen for comfort. There’s also the added challenge of having to understand the American Way. Esther was raised to be an African Wife in other words traditional. The other up side of this film is how Msangi shows each character’s point of view. This helps the audience understand the journey of each family member.

Intimate moments such as the family gathering for breakfast for the first time are priceless. Farewell Amour shows the other side of the immigration process. It shows the sacrifices families make for the American dream. Personal as well as financial. Most importantly that in spite of hardships and separation it’s a risk they are willing to take. Some aren’t going to like the pacing of this film and how it occasionally dips into Portuguese. (Portuguese is the official language of Angola.) The film also needed to do a better job of explaining why dance was so important to Sylvia. Farewell Amour discussed immigration without politicizing it but teaching you how those policies affect families. That is the big win of all.

Scale: I give this film a seven.

Diversity: It gets a 10 for centering an African family and how immigration affects them