Day of the Flowers

Day of the Flowers is a an enjoyable picture despite having a strictly formula script. The first formula is two opposite personalities thrown together by necessity (e.g. 48 Hours, In Her Shoes, etc). Here we have two Scottish sisters, Rosa a committed socialist and Ailie her designer cloths wearing spoiled sister, reunited for funeral of their father. Problem is that their stepmother wants to make a golf trophy out of their father's ashes while Rosa wants to take them to Cuba, where their father spent some time during the revolution and scatter them in Havana. Once the sisters take the ashes to Cuba we enter the Fish-Out-Of-Water phase of the formula with every cliché ridden situation thrown in. However, the performances are generally appealing and the direction is brisk. Throw in the nice Havana background and Cuban music and you have an entertaining film which does not strive to be anything higher than that.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to see 'Day of the Flowers' and arrived with no idea of what to expect, the word CUBA however never fails to set up a frisson of excitement and I was not disappointed in the slightest by this super mix of Scottish and South American culture and characterisation. Indeed, in retrospect I can see that it was a perfect feisty and amusing match,the acting was sensitive,credible and each part played with skill which reeled the audience in to the story perfectly. Artistic filming and some lovely detail (the horses for example?) and enough music and dance to whet my appetite - although I could have watched Carlos Acosta and the bands for a very long time given the opportunity. It was vibrant and fun - I didn't leave feeling emotionally drained; just happy! I wonder if there may be a sequel lurking in the writer's mind? Ailie should surely get back to her roots one of these days!!! jx

I just loved this film. I was intrigued to see Carlos Acosta in an acting role as I had recently seen him as a Royal Opera House Covent Garden principal dancer. I wasn't let down as he was such a natural with a wonderfully understated presence on screen. And when he did dance I wanted to see more. It was a joy to watch! What made the film even better was the script from beginning to end. I believed in the sisters. They were real to me. The setting in Glasgow so familiar in contrast to the action in Cuba. What poverty can reduce people to. A place made attractive by its music and sunshine. This is a gem of a film. I want to watch it again.

I saw it at the Edinburgh Film festival and love it. Two quarrelling sisters become reluctant travel partners when they set off from Scotland to Cuba. Their journey throws up more than a few surprises and laughs along the way. Their quest to discover more about their father's communist past leads to a voyage of self discovery. The humour is balanced with an intelligent portrayal of how each sister struggles, in different ways, with the cultural stereotypes and socio- political tensions that arise. The writer, Eirenie Houston, offers a balanced assessment of the complexities associated with tourism in Cuba, avoiding sentimentality or judgement. Set in the ambiance of Havana, with stunning cinematography and beautiful dance scenes, not least from the Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta, this film will have you heading down to the travel agents.

Day of flowers invites it's audience to join two Scottish sisters Rosa (Eva Birthistle) and Ailie (Charity Wakefield) in an amusing and fun Cuban adventure. After stealing their father's ashes they decide to take a trip to Cuba to sprinkle the ashes there as their late father was a revolutionary. Little do they know not only will it be a trip to say goodbye to their father but it will be a journey of discovery. The film is beautifully shot which captures the spirit of Cuba with a notable performance from dancer Carlos Acosta (one to watch in the future I think). An enjoyable 100 minutes viewing with plenty to keep your attention. Love, comedy, dancing and fun. It's great to see Scottish films coming into the limelight.