{{Short description|2021 British drama film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox film | name = Ali & Ava | image = Ali & Ava poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Clio Barnard | producer = Tracy O'Riordan | writer = Clio Barnard | starring = {{Plainlist| * Adeel Akhtar * Claire Rushbrook }} | music = Harry Escott | cinematography = Ole Bratt Birkeland | editing = Maya Maffioli | production_companies = {{Plainlist| * BBC Film * British Film Institute * Screen Yorkshire * Moonspun Films * Altitude Film Entertainment * UK Global Screen Fund }} | distributor = Altitude (UK) | released = {{Film date|df=y|2021|7|11|Cannes|2022|3|4|UK}} | runtime = 95 minutes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.quinzaine-cineastes.fr/en/film/ali-ava|title=Ali & Ava {{!}} Quinzaine des cinéastes|website=Quinzaine des Réalisateurs|access-date=14 February 2023|archive-date=14 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214224406/https://www.quinzaine-cineastes.fr/en/film/ali-ava|url-status=live}}</ref> | country = United Kingdom | language = English | budget = | gross = $887,785<ref name="NUM">{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ali-and-Ava-(2022-United-Kingdom)#tab=summary |title=''Ali and Ava'' (2022) |publisher=The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC |access-date=14 February 2023 |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127113702/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ali-and-Ava-(2022-United-Kingdom)#tab=summary |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BOM">{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11559472/ |title=''Ali & Ava'' (2021) |publisher=Box Office Mojo. IMDbPro |access-date=14 February 2023 |archive-date=21 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921233944/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11559472/ |url-status=live }}</ref> }}
'''''Ali & Ava''''' is a 2021 British drama film written and directed by Clio Barnard. The film stars Adeel Akhtar and Claire Rushbrook in the lead roles. It had its world premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in the Directors Fortnight section on 11 July 2021 and was released in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2022.
==Synopsis== The film is set in Bradford,<ref>{{cite news |title=Ali & Ava review – Clio Barnard's pitch-perfect Bradford love story |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/06/ali-ava-review-clio-barnard-bradford-love-story-adeel-akhtar-claire-rushbrook |last=Kermode |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Kermode |newspaper=The Guardian |date=6 March 2022 |access-date=26 January 2023 |archive-date=19 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219212626/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/06/ali-ava-review-clio-barnard-bradford-love-story-adeel-akhtar-claire-rushbrook |url-status=live }}</ref> on the working-class, predominantly white housing estate of Holme Wood,<ref>{{cite web|last=Clayton|first=Emma|date=16 October 2021|title=Holme Wood residents in cast of film that's 'love letter to Bradford'|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/19650475.northern-premiere-ali-ava-held-bradford/|access-date=26 January 2023|website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus|archive-date=4 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204143245/https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/19650475.northern-premiere-ali-ava-held-bradford/|url-status=live}}</ref> noted in both reality around 2016 and in the film for racist anti-social behaviour towards taxi drivers.<ref>{{cite news|date=22 September 2016|title=Yob attacks on cab drivers lead to estate boycott|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14756617.yob-attacks-on-cab-drivers-lead-to-estate-boycott/|work=Bradford Telegraph and Argus|access-date=26 January 2023|archive-date=28 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228192000/https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14756617.yob-attacks-on-cab-drivers-lead-to-estate-boycott/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Ali, a man of Pakistani descent, lives with his soon-to-be ex-wife, Runa, who still mourns the loss of their unborn child. Ava lives in Holme Wood near her adult children, some of whom have children of their own.
Ali and Ava meet one day at the school where Ava works when Ali drops off his tenant's daughter. A friendship, built on a mutual love of music, gradually develops between the two, and deepens into something more as the couple struggles to overcome their respective familial entanglements and prejudices.
==Cast== * Adeel Akhtar as Ali * Claire Rushbrook as Ava * Ellora Torchia as Ali's separated wife, Runa * Shaun Thomas as Ava's son, Callum * Natalie Gavin as Dawn * Mona Goodwin as Ava's daughter, Michelle * Kamal Kaan as Ashraf * Sienna Afsar as Ali's niece * Siraj Hussain as Hashim
==Production== In January 2020, it was announced that Adeel Akhtar and Claire Rushbrook had joined the cast of the film, with Clio Barnard directing from a screenplay she wrote. BBC Film would produce, and Altitude Film Distribution was set to distribute in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/ali-ava-first-look-at-clio-barnards-just-wrapped-fourth-feature-1203470664/|title='Ali & Ava': First Look at Clio Barnard's Just-Wrapped Fourth Feature|magazine=Variety|first=Christopher|last=Vourlias|date=17 January 2020|access-date=8 June 2021|archive-date=17 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117215908/https://variety.com/2020/film/global/ali-ava-first-look-at-clio-barnards-just-wrapped-fourth-feature-1203470664/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/first-details-of-clio-barnards-ali-and-ava-revealed/5146270.article|title=First details of Clio Barnard's 'Ali & Ava' revealed|website=Screen International|first=Michael|last=Rosser|date=17 January 2020|access-date=26 January 2023|archive-date=17 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117214555/https://www.screendaily.com/news/first-details-of-clio-barnards-ali-and-ava-revealed/5146270.article|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Release== The film had its world premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in the Directors Fortnight section on 11 July 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18701081.html |title=Cannes 2021 : Ali & Ava, la délicate romance musicale de Clio Barnard à la Quinzaine des réalisateurs |website=AlloCiné |first=Brigitte |last=Baronnet |date=11 July 2021 |access-date=14 February 2023 |language=fr |archive-date=14 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214224404/https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18701081.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2022 and came out on VOD on 23 August 2022.<ref name="NUM"/><ref name="RT"/>
==Reception== ===Box office=== ''Ali & Ava'' grossed $44,072 in the United States and Canada<ref name="BOM"/> and $843,713 in other territories,<ref name="NUM"/> for a worldwide total of $887,785.
===Critical response=== On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 94% based on 88 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "''Ali & Ava''{{'}}s tender, naturalistic love story adds another powerful chapter to writer–director Clio Barnard's filmography."<ref name="RT">{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ali_and_ava|title=Ali & Ava|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media|access-date=14 February 2023|archive-date=27 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227200954/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ali_and_ava|url-status=live}}</ref> On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ali-ava |title=''Ali & Ava'' Reviews |publisher=Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. |access-date=14 February 2023 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207095907/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ali-ava |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali and Ava}} Category:2021 drama films Category:2021 films Category:2021 English-language films Category:British drama films Category:BBC Film films Category:Films directed by Clio Barnard Category:Films set in Yorkshire Category:Films set in Bradford Category:2021 British films Category:English-language drama films