ELVIS PELVIS International Feature Competition

Two interlaced stories about hero worship and fatherhood echo one another in Nigerian/UK filmmaker Kevin Aduaka’s striking debut ELVIS PELVIS.

Elvis Pelvis is a story told in two parts; “THE SUIT” tells of a family living in London in the early ’80s and the effects of the legacy of Elvis Presley on them. Ten-year-old Elvis lives under the tyranny of his father Tony-a stern policeman who is obsessed with the legacy of Elvis Presley. Elvis’s walls, in contrast, are covered with a shrine to Jimi Hendrix. “THE MESSIAH” takes place 17 years later and tells of Derek, a disturbed recluse who also loves Hendrix, and pretends to be the long-lost son of a dying patriarch. He seeks to distract himself by visiting the local church in search of salvation.

Graceful filmmaking , strong performances and musical allegories combine to create a profoundly sensual journey, visceral in its effect on the viewer. Director Aduaka is firmly at the helm of this original film that unfolds with sharp insight and dramatic flair.