Imperial Blue
“IMPERIAL BLUE” – chances to escape “reality”? Here is a big big drama on the subject!
Raindance 27th Film Festival review.93 mins – Homegrown Films. By Penny Nair Price.
Directed by Dan Moss with Ashish Verma, Paul Dewdney, Abby Mukibi Nkaga, Nicolas Fagerberg, and many other dedicatedly acted parts by the stars in this dark film noir, prepare yourself to be entertained with twisted sisters, hankerings after a new drug to give a new kick and some interesting locations where the story unfolds dramatically, and of many dark devious mischievous and untrustworthy “minions” in this game to get rich on a new illegal drug – Imperial Blue . The film opens in Mumbai but swiftly moves to Uganda where the main action takes place.
This was written by David Cecil and Daniel Moss and we know Dan was influenced by the sagas written by author Philip K Dick. So forget Botswana and Alexander McCall Smith. Get your mind round a modern saga which is very credible even though it all ends in tears (no more spoilers but this one!). We have the good characters and the bad characters. Nicolas Fagerberg is originally from Sweden but has lived and worked in the USA. He has the major part apart as the white mischief maker in his quest in Uganda – Kampala and the village of Ndalia – to buy a drug for the Asian market which promises to make him super rich. Unfortunately his reliance on the drug – blue – gives you insights into the future, means that he sniffs it through a money note every time he wants to seek what will happen in the next few days of his life – and it works! On his side is a beautiful young African lady who needs money to stop the church taking over her families’ house and plot of land. Believe me the plots and sub plots on these issues will keep your brain ticking over doubletime to keep up with the saga. Our protagonist also has a son in London and ex girlfriend who play a small part as the proceddings unfold.
Filmed in Mumbai where the film opens (1 week’s filming) London (1 week’s filming) and 5 weeks in Uganda, the crew were very tight on their budget for getting the job done. Funding started with friends and family then other funders came on board. Much of the film is filmed in relative darkness – this was deliberate and to give an impression of what was beyond the darkness and to appertain to the film noir genre. When our protagonist is out of his head on “Blue”, the lens of the camera was detached to convey the “mistiness” of the drug’s trip. This is featured many times in the story. As Dan Moss points out, “shooting is never linear”. The crew had to hunt for places in Kampala where traffic noise did not interfere. This was easier in the country. There are very tastefully filmed scenes in the countryside showing the mountains and valleys and much of the drama takes place here.
There may be a screening at SOAS in London later this year so keep looking out for this if you’ve missed it at Raindance. Jesachi (Jess) was head hunted (Picture) to be in the film. She looks much younger in reality – she and many of the entire crew were there for this screening.
Back to the leading white guy in the story – Swedish born Nicolas Fagerberg, who has worked in USA says unless you’re an A list star, you have to do a lot yourself to get yourself parts and exposure in the industry. Nicolas is currently working on an Art House film called Black Sun. He is what one could entitle “A Natural” – he has flowing and convincing skills in acting and brings all the characters together keeping the women very much in a different vein than the men, and equally important.
Look out for scenes on when the “Imperial Blue” is picked in the African countryside and bear in mind all the trouble it brings to those who want to savour its impact on the brain. ENJOY
Penny Nair Price