Fort York
Friday, june 13, 2025

Lovers rock

With the short films Nouvel An and Motherland

From Oscar-winning British director Steve McQueen, Lovers Rock captures one euphoric night of revelry in 1980 London, infused with the intoxicating sounds of reggae, dub, and lovers rock. Part of the limited series Small Axe, McQueen follows a young woman named Martha, played by Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn, who sneaks out to attend a house party and finds romance with a stranger, Franklyn, played by the charismatic Michael Ward. As the two share a rhythmic embrace on the dancefloor, we see how parties attempt to provide a temporary shelter for young Black lovers from the unjust outside world. 

Paired with Lovers Rock are two short films that highlight young people in love – either romantic or platonic. Iranian-Canadian director Jasmin Mozaffari’s stunning film Motherland pays homage to her own parents, but also to all Iranians who struggled to navigate racism and assimilation during the tumultuous late 1970s. Montréal filmmaker Marie-Ève Juste’s Nouvel An (A New Year) offers an intimate portrait of 20-something friends preparing for a party while discussing self-image, desire, gender representation, and pregnancy over a pre-New Year’s dinner. Taken together, tonight’s programme offers an insightful look at the delicate liminal space between youth and adulthood. Motherland is further highlighted in this year’s Spotlight on SWANA Stories programme.