The film tells the story of a middle aged couple from different cultural backgrounds and with difficult past relationships who nevertheless fall in love. It is set in Bradford, a Northern industrial city in Britain with a multicultural population. Ali is a landlord of Pakistani descent who manages a number of properties. He is liked by his tenants as he always tries to be helpful. In fact it his through giving one of his tenant’s daughters a lift to school that he meets Ava who is a classroom assistant. Ali is in the process of separating from his wife. Ava is the widow of a racist and abusive husband. She has adult children and grandchildren. Her background is Irish. Despite their differences and the challenges that society places on them they form a bond helped by their love of music and their humour and warm heartedness.
Clio Barnard’s social realism film and outstanding performances by Adeel Akhtar & Claire Rushbrook has won 5 awards including best actor and best music by the British Independent Film Awards and 10 nominations including Outstanding British Film of the Year at the BAFTAs 2022.
Roger Ebert review in English: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ali-and-ava-movie-review-2022