The Honey Dripper

I feel as if I'm going on a journey; a sweet, soft, almost maple syrup mellifluous journey, where I can almost taste the musical atmosphere emanating from the screen.

Set in 1950's rural Alabama during the cotton picking season, the Honeydripper tells the tale of one man's struggle to maintain his take on the Blues of the time and his reluctance to walk the line of the day's musical genre.

However, you need to pay your keepers. In the Honeydripper, we have the liquid man trying to keep the juices flowing in the juke joint; food via the chicken-man feeding the cotton-pickers and the local army recruits, whose money and custom breathe life into Harmony, Alabama.

It's a make-or-break weekend for the Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, the piano-player Tyrone "Pine Top" Purvis, played by Danny Glover, who hatches a plan aided by his shape tongued sidekick, Maceo, to lure the town's folks away from Touissant's, the rival joint across town.

After laying off his regular talent, the Blues singer Bertha Mae, Tyrone announces to Maceo that he has hired the famous electric guitar player, Guitar Sam, for a special one night only gig: pack 'em in and save the club.

One morning, Sonny Blake (Gary Clark Jr) walks in, fresh from his stint on the freight train. Tired, hungry and looking somewhat disheveled, Blake's piercing eyes were eating the food off Tyrone's plate. He offers to play in the Honeydripper, but Tyrone is not interested. Sonny proceeds across town in search of work, only to be arrested by the omnipresent Sheriff Pugh, for vagrancy and rented out as an unpaid cotton-picker to the highest bidder.

On the big day, the train arrives but Tyrone's savior, Guitar Sam, is nowhere to be seen. Tyrone is forced to take drastic action. He makes a deal with Sheriff Pugh to release Sonny, the new kid in town.

When Sonny takes the stage and launches into his first scalding electric licks, Tyrone will learn if it's lights out for the Honeydripper or if his luck has changed: he might just be another man saved by rock n' roll.

The film gives warmth and authenticity to its subject matter; be it our young star Sonny, or the beautiful, heart-felt eloquence depicting the vocal intimacy, which carries the film to the gospels within.

The Honeydripper features an all-star cast starring Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Stacy Keach, Mary Steenburgen, Yaya DaCosta and Sean Patrick Thomas; as well as such notable musicians as Keb' Mo' and Dr. Mable John. It also introduces a major new talent, Gary Clark Jr. who makes his electrifying film debut as Sonny.

This is the 16th feature film by the iconoclastic John Sayles, who continues his extraordinary examination of the complexities and shifting identities of American sub-cultures in Honeydripper.

With his usual understated intelligence, Sayles immerses us into the rhythm and the soul of the citizens of Harmony, Alabama, and into the Jim Crow south. It's a fable about the birth of rock 'n' roll, a quintessentially American subject, but with a fidelity to the time and temperament that is unusual in an American director.

The Honeydripper goes on general release on May 9, 2008.

By Karl Williams

I Will Tell

'Ndinadsawapanga' means 'I Will Tell; in the Senna dialect of Mozambique; a fitting name for a film festival that plans to show people can be empowered by sharing their experiences.

Founded by Jericho Films, a production company that was established in London in 2002 to create inspiring and thought-provoking films, the 'I Will Tell Film Festival' is a Christian event that is all about ideas.

Never preachy and instead intent on keeping it real, the festival will showcase some seriously powerful movies including John Singleton's controversial 'Boyz N' The Hood' and the Brazilian favela drama 'City of Men'.

Commenting on what motivated her to organise the festival, Jericho Films' Jenny Lee said, "We look at the problems in our society today and it's so easy to blame it on alcohol or drug abuse, unemployment, money, the list goes on. But the real root of the problem is often much deeper and much closer to home than we would care to admit. As human agents we part of the problem. The film festival attempts to focus our hearts and minds on how we can also be part of the solution."

The film festival will explore the issues of Unity, Identity and Empowerment and seeks to inspire and empower ordinary people to believe, hope for and do extraordinary things.

The screenings take place at churches across London from Lewisham to Mayfair. Each night will be slightly different but every night will include the screening of a short film and one of the award-winning feature-length films in the festival. With the focus on shared experience, the main feature will be followed by a talk with passionate speakers with in-depth knowledge of the issues raised in the film.

On some nights there will also be live performances as well as other events and opportunities. Rev Elson Parris, senior pastor at the Wesleyan Christian Centre said: "This film festival is a bold and innovative new venture and will be a life changing experience for many."

A portion of festival profits will go towards helping to empower those in need.

The festival will take place from 30 April - 10 May at venues across London. Adm: £5 at the door, £4 online, Group discounts and concessions available. Info: www.jerichofilms.com/festival08

By Diriye Osman