At the only music school in Angola, in Luanda, the nation’s capitol, students pursue music in the face of all obstacles as a means of escape from poverty and corruption. Female students like Joana, age 23, who aspires to be Angola’s first female rock drummer, face chauvinistic cultural oppression so fierce that their lives are endangered. Pianist Alfredo, age 21, who is the bright hope of the school, faces opposition from his family because music is just not considered to be a practical option. Quite aware of the discrepancy between Angola’s extensive oil and diamond resources and their own stark poverty, the students dream of expressing their cultural and national identity on the world’s stages.

(U.K. 2007, 72 min., in Portuguese with English subtitles.) – D.B.