This debut feature from Paul Taylor tells the story of Slindile Moya, a 12 year old girl living in the Agape Orphanage in South Africa having lost both her parents to AIDS. By documenting the moving story of the Moya family and focusing in particular on the illness of Slindile’s brother Sifiso, Taylor highlights the shockingly low access of many sufferers of the AIDS virus to potentially life saving drugs. The documentary draws inspiration from the strength of human spirit that Slindile and her remaining family friends find in the face of such adversity, particularly through song.
Both touching and comic in spades, the film follows the orphans over three years over which their singing takes them around the world in order to raise both awareness of and money for Agape, and intentionally contrasts scenes of heartache and sadness with laughter. In doing so the film draws attention to the children’s dignity and incredible capacity for humour despite their situation.
