Ae Fond Kiss… | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Ken Loach |
Produced by | Rebecca O'Brien |
Written by | Paul Laverty |
Starring |
Atta Yaqub Eva Birthistle |
Music by | George Fenton |
Cinematography | Barry Ackroyd |
Edited by | Jonathan Morris |
Distributed by | Icon Film Distribution |
Release date
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17 September 2004 (United Kingdom) |
Running time
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104 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom Belgium Germany Italy Spain |
Language | English Punjabi |
Budget | £3 million |
Ae Fond Kiss… (also known as Just a Kiss in some countries) is a 2004 romantic drama film directed by Ken Loach, and starring Atta Yaqub and Eva Birthistle. The title is taken from a Scottish song by Robert Burns, the complete line being "Ae Fond Kiss, and then we sever..."
The film explores the complications which ensue when second-generation Scottish Pakistani Casim (who is Muslim) and Roisin (a Catholic immigrant from Ireland) fall in love.
Set in Glasgow, the film tells the story of the Khan family. Casim is the only son of Pakistani Muslim immigrants to Scotland. He has a younger sister, Tahara, and an older sister Rukshana. Casim's parents, Tariq and Sadia, have arranged for him to marry his first cousin, Jasmine, and Casim is more or less happy with the arrangement. He then meets and falls in love with Roisin, an Irish Catholic immigrant (who is a part-time music teacher in Tahara's Catholic school). Roisin books a short holiday break for them both on seeing an advert in a travel agent's shop window, and while on holiday Casim tells her about the arranged marriage his family are planning for him. They then have to decide whether their love is strong enough to endure without the support of their respective communities.
At the same time, rebellious Tahara struggles to find herself between the bullying of some Scottish schoolmates and her Pakistani relatives. Meanwhile, Rukhsana loses her fiancé because Casim's new relationship shames the family. Roisin loses her job because the Catholic school's direction does not accept her relationship since she is a married – though separated – woman and because she and Casim are living together.