Film: L' Histoire de Souleymane (Souleymane's Story/The Story of Souleymane)

This evening, decided on The Story of Souleymane, jury prizewinner at Cannes, which is an immigrant drama set in Paris. Showing in the Garden Cinema. It wasn't booking out until today - when I checked this afternoon, and it was mostly sold out, I decided I'd better book!

It was on so late I could stay really late at work.. I was second last out of the office (the other guy was waiting for the best, quietest train). This had the advantage that I finished all the work lined up for me! Phew, hope nobody finds anything for me tomorrow.. Anyway, I was going to be really early for the film, so of course I ate beforehand - and Nando's Holborn was convenient to both office and cinema. I got a nice little corner table, and was well fed. And when I was done, and still had nearly an hour to the film - I thought I'd treat myself to their excellent choc-a-lot cake! I hardly ever have time. Also delighted to see they're serving it cold these days - I hate it when they heat them, and you end up with chocolate running all over the plate..

Then, seeing I still had some time, I sat and played my phone game for a while. After a bit, I saw I was within five minutes of showtime, and decided I'd better move - it was a five-minute or so walk from there. As I was getting ready, I noticed the time on my phone - it was actually already a few minutes after showtime.. my watch was slow! Oh no.. I legged it - and it would be then that the pedestrian lights turned against me, crossing the road.. 

Anyway, I got to the cinema and had my ticket scanned. I was dubious, as the terms and conditions warn you to be on time, that they don't show ads - so I was relieved to hear her say that it was just about to start. The guy who checked my ticket at the door warned me to make sure the door was closed, it tended to stick. And sure enough, no they weren't showing trailers - per se; no, they were showing ads for features at that cinema, special screenings and the like. And I was at the end of a row full of people (be careful with the row lettering here - it's quite deceptive, the letters on the steps not corresponding to the correct row). With me trying to manoeuvre a rucksack so as not to decapitate anyone, it would have been appreciated if they'd made an effort to get their stuff out of the way! I was picking my way carefully over everything they'd left on the ground..

Well, I was in situ by the time the film started. Now, Souleymane is working as a bicycle courier - and it turns out that he's renting the account from a bloke to whom he pays a fee. All the money also goes to the account holder, and if facial recognition is required, he has to go and find the guy and get him to take a selfie. Naturally, he's kept waiting for his money - and this is a problem, mainly because he needs to pay another guy for fake documents to show he was a member of a persecuted political organisation in both of their home country, Guinea. This guy is also coaching him in the story he is to tell to the immigration authorities deciding his asylum case, in a couple of days' time.

Naturally, as a bicycle courier, his wages depend on the amount of business he can drum up - and all that dashing about makes for a hectic film. It actually put me very much in mind of another excellent film I saw a few years ago, also set in Paris - A Plein Temps (Full Time), about a woman trying to juggle her menial job in the city, her commute, and finding time to interview for a better job, all the while trying to be mother to small children! Both have that sense of constant urgency, that sense of never having time - and the crashing feeling of disaster when the smallest thing happens to disrupt the schedule, and throw everything into disarray.

I tell you this, it'd make you have sympathy for bicycle couriers - despite me having nearly been mown down by them on occasion! And if the food arrives late - or it, or perhaps the bag it came in, are not in the best condition - well, not only are they not paid for that run, but of course they've lost time as well: and their time literally is money. We really live Souleymane's life with him as he scrambles to keep everyone happy - his customers, the guy whom he rents the account from, the guy he owes money to, and his sick mother back home: not to mention the girl he left behind.

We get a fully rounded picture of his life, we're with him through all his trials - and they're relentless. From beginning to end, the film hardly lets you breathe, it's so stressful - even when it slows down a bit at night, you know he's not resting, he's worrying about money or his girlfriend, or swotting for his interview.. not even at the end do they let us off, ending the film so abruptly that we're not allowed to de-stress - I wasn't the only person to have been holding my breath, letting it go as the credits rolled. Truly a memorable film - and worth seeing, to remind us of what we, the cinema-going public, don't have to go through.

There's a handy Sainsbury's nearby where I shopped - and wouldn't you know it, the #188 stopped neither on the way in, nor the way out, to change drivers today..!

Next, two Meetups - tomorrow, back with London Social & Cultural Meetups for a social at The Parcel Yard. I've warned the organiser about how busy it was on Tuesday - hope she manages a table.

And on Saturday, London Museums from A-Z were kind enough to stage an event for those of us with October and November birthdays! We're meeting in The Goodman's Field, then having a ghost walk - one of the group has researched not only spooky stops, but has come up with a script for each, and advertised for people to read them! I've volunteered, and for two if necessary. Hallowe'en costumes encouraged! which I might wear, weather permitting. Finishing in the Minories..

On Sunday, I'm with TAC at a classical guitar concert, Due Cordi Brillanti, at King's Place.

Then three Meetups: on Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at Soho Theatre for Little Brother - planning to meet my sometime travel companion, who's also going, in the nearby Nellie Dean beforehand.

On Tuesday, a new Meetup group to me, Rewind Tours of London, which apparently runs pay-what-you-like walks, has a special Hallowe'en walk - London: City of Death! (Actually running daily until just after Hallowe'en, but I'm going on this day.)

And on Wednesday, The Hideout has grabbed me again - we're headed to Nightmare on Elm Street 2 at Cineworld Leicester Square. And yes, meeting at Victory House again, and I'll be in Bella Italia before that.

Next Thursday, thinking of film again - as my co-worker says, it's my movie night - Urchin is at the Curzon Bloomsbury.

Appropriately, Hallowe'en weekend is all about The Hideout/Movie Roadhouse London (MRL)! On Hallowe'en itself, The Hideout are on another field trip - following the success of Shocktober, we're now off to Haunt Fest. I'll have to get off work as quickly as possible - blast that I can't take the day off this year, I always try to but my days have been spoken for. Anyway, we can get there by Thameslink from King's Cross (gee, I'm there a lot all of a sudden!), and handily, Harpenden, our destination, had the Oyster system extended to it some years ago. We're meeting in The Parcel Yard - well, unless I need to go straight to the train!

On the 1st, planning to go with MRL to the 40th anniversary screening of Back to the Future in the Cineworld Imax - finally got a ticket booked, after some internet trouble. As usual, eating in Bella Italia, meeting the group in Victory House.

And on the 2nd, I'm back with The Hideout for a new horror, Shelby Oaks, Leicester Square venue TBD..

Finally, on the 3rd, fourth Meetup in a row, back with UITCS for Fatherland at Hampstead Theatre.