Ali and Ava are two very different people. Ali is a working-class British Pakistani landlord who has a good sense of humor and nervous energy. He is close to his tenants and enjoys listening to music with them. On the other hand, Ava is an Irish-born teacher and single mother of five. She takes refuge in the quieter comforts of Bob Dylan and Karen Dalton. Despite their differences, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other.
Inspired by Barnard's earlier films such as The Arbor and The Selfish Giant, Ali & Ava is a film that feels profoundly rooted in lived experience. It blends a tender emotional complexity with an at times bracing depiction of trauma and grief. Akhtar and Rushbrook's finely hued performances speak to the setting's cultural diversity and tribal loyalties while yielding a vulnerability that’s alternately heart-wrenching and joyous. Their story serves as a reminder that it is sometimes the least likely connections that are the ones most worth pursuing.
