Swallows and Amazons

Director: Philippa Lowthorpe

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Dane Hughes, Orla Hill, Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen, Bobby McCulloch

Country: USA

Year: 2016

Author Review: Roberto Matteucci

"Captain John introduces your crew."

The adventures of young gangs are a classic of literature. When children play they try to build the groups simulating, copying but also worsening the adult world, example is Lord of the Flies.

The young guys have a goal, a desire to have more experience, to grown up quickly and the group helps to have that feeling.

It is the mechanism of the film Swallows and Amazons directed by Philippa Lowthorpe presented at the 13th Dubai International Film Festival.

Summer of 1935 a young boy playing with the boats in a bathtub. It is the link to the story. A boat, so much water, and the dreams of a child. The child is Roger. He lives with his mother and three brothers while his father is working in Hong Kong. Children miss him a lot.

The mother takes the boys on holiday in the Lake District, a national park in the northwest of England.

The desire to explore the large lake is a must for the young exuberant, and manage to have the permission of the mother to use a small boat called Swallow to sail in the lake. The boss, the captain of the expedition is the big brother John.

In the island they discovered a tent occupied by two girls, two competitors.

In the story there are also the bad guys, they are hidden in the mist, speak in foreign languages, and appear and disappear abruptly. They are the exact enemies to face.

Taken from a series written in the thirties of the past century by Arthur Ransome, the sense of adventure of the children has changed a lot.

The director made a romantic movie, filmed with a classic elegant style.

Music is well linked to the scenes, example is when Roger falls dangerously into the water, the music becomes powerful and strong.