Above the Clouds

Raindance world premiere “Above the Clouds” – British film – Third Light Films. 87 minutes.

Feelgood factor films do work with no spoilers.

Leon Chambers – Director,  together with screenwriter Simon Lloyd came up with this feelgood factor tale working together and after several re-writes, the film was made in a relatively short time.  But not without initial complications…only days before filming started, they had still not found the perfect lady to play the lead role, Charlie.  But then Naomi Morris walked into casting and they just knew she was perfect for the role.  Together with Andrew Murton – the actor playing homeless charmer with a prickly side, Oz, they went ahead and started filming. Chambers says he was influenced by films including Little Miss Sunshine, Juno and Sideways and it was 2 and a half years of a marathon to get it all made and ready to screen to an audience which if like those who watched it today, will be enthralled and happy with the story.  It is soon to go to a film festival in Austen Texas and I feel sure it will get picked up by a few stations for screening there.

So what is Above the Clouds about?  Well, like all good stories it has plots and subplots but essentially it is about a girl coming of age in Margate where she has a dead-end job as a waitress but plans to go to art school and is obsessed with drawing portraits.  With her real mum and stepdad going away for a holiday and being given a credit card to handle expenses while they are abroad, she discovers her father is not her real father whilst her parent are away.  Having befriended Oz – the homeless man, on her lunch break in the Art gallery, whilst looking at a painting of above the clouds, the friendship which develops between the two innocent characters means she chooses Oz to come with her on a right of passage in her birthday present – a yellow car with a provisional sticker on it to the Isle of Skye where she has discovered is her real father’s home. He elects to be a sensible licence owner to keep an eye on her driving which causes comedy and drama more than once during the saga. The pair also discovers a lot of exciting info on Charlie’s father by way of borrowing the internet of a person they meet in a café on their journey to Skye.

As one might predict, a lengthy drive from Margate to the Scottish Islands ensues in overnight stays on the way, encounters with some shady but amusing characters, the tossing of coins as to whether to go forward or back home, and a final trying scene when Oz wakes on the short ferry trip to Skye to protest of travel sickness.

I predict Austin will love the movie and it will make the grade in terms of being declared not only very watchable but suitable to all ages.  Let’s see.  Watch this space.

ENJOY

Penny Nair Price