"ESCAPE FROM LUANDA"- a most compelling film

Every so often, a film comes along that captures not only the soul of a country but also the heartrending, wretched and often sobering detail of day to day life inside a nation in crisis. “Escape From Luanda” is one of those films, and absolutely deserves not only to be seen, but taken in completely through the mind and heart. In Luanda, one of the world's poorest and most dangerous places, three students from Angola's only music school work towards their end-of-year concert. The Music School is Angola’s first and only school of its kind. It houses some 80 students, most of them desperately poor. Many face disapproval and outright rejection from their families who can’t see a future in music. This film asks if, despite the ravages of 27 years of civil war, musical passion can overcome terrible hardships.

Critics worldwide cannot stop touting its impact and have hailed it as a deeply absorbing piece of insight into the everyday struggles Angola faces. The more people see and understand what’s going on, the more people there may be to help however they can. Awareness is key in so many of these dire situations. Award-winning documentary film-maker Phil Grabsky has taken hold of this story and presents it like a beautiful, emotional masterpiece in a no-holds-barred fashion.

If you’re on this list, chances are you travel in search of deeper meanings in each place you visit, you look beyond the sights and sounds for a deeper understanding of a nation’s soul…and this film opens each viewer’s eyes to a beautiful source of inspiration that has the potential to defy the odds. The DVD is now available from Seventh Art Productions www.seventh-art.com