Synopsis  

London. 2005.

Sometimes a Mountain is a road movie that follows the adventures of two hapless and quirky characters. DAVID (45) is an ill-tempered but honest black British sax player with love in his heart—somewhere. ROGER (42) is a loveable, over-emotional, not to mention clinging, second-hand bookshop owner of ‘Rogered’ with love in his heart—everywhere.

Having been left by their respective spouses, the two friends decide to take a road trip. David believes he has a claim to wealth in the shape of distant, once plantation owning relatives, their land and a castle in Drymen, Scotland. It’s a mad idea that is designed so David does not have to deal with the death of his daughter during the July  terrorist bombings. Roger thinks it will distract him and also get him away from his crazy, thuggish Russian landlord. It won’t.

Their journey takes them through beautiful countryside and their less than beautiful, if humorous, anguish about life.

Eventually, the two wanderers, despite David’s resistance, pick up a hitchhiker called NANA(28) an Iranian, Muslim girl, who is heading to Edinburgh on a mysterious mission.

Not so far behind, on a not so mysterious mission is Boris, Rogers crazed Russian landlord, who is following them.

As time goes by and David warms to Nana’s wit and intelligence, the three become true travel companions. Roger begins to forget the defection of his wife, lets go of his reliance on his daughter and starts to write poetry; whilst David takes to composing.

As the car speeds on, and the frantically chasing Boris is overcome, the journey slowly becomes a journey of liberation and fond intimacy. However under all their quirky fun and conversations still lie three pains.

Nana first reveals hers when she tells Roger and David she is going to ‘look at’ the person who tortured and murdered her parents during the Iranian revolution. It is shocking news that is only tempered by their arrival in Drymen and the depressing fact that ‘the castle’ David is looking for turns out to be just a ruin- as is the potential wealth he would get as its new owner!

Now forlornly leaving Drymen for Edinburgh David’s secret also comes out after a massive and violent confrontation with some young Pakistani Muslims in a pub. Horrified by David’s behaviour, Nana decides to leave the two men even after she finds out about the death of his daughter.

Nana goes onto Edinburgh and the confrontation with her parent’s murderers. But before she meets the man face to face she is joined by Roger and David who have followed her –to give to her the support she gave them. Her confrontation with this grotesque figure of a man as well as her demons is, however, one that leaves her in a state of shock at her own aggression and anger. She decides that she must leave her friends and go it alone.

Back in North London, Roger is also alone and realising that distraction and riding around the country was no substitute for climbing the mountain within himself.

David is playing at weddings once again but eventually, his emotions erupt just as he takes the stage. It is only Nana’s return, having taken a deep dive into her problems, that allows David to let go of the past and face the future. He decides to go, with Roger and Nana, to see his wife, Barbara.

Arriving at the retreat in Chichester, David takes out his sax and plays his new composition – an African inspired mournful tune that brings back to memory all the pain of loss and the hope of redemption.