Sylvia, a bored and emotionally numb woman, is the sole carer of her sister with learning difficulties. To forget her despair and release the pressure of the responsibility, she can turn to Pat, her stock-old best friend, Norman, her hippie tenant, and Peter, a quiet man she awkwardly flirts with.

After highlighting the supremely stylized debuts by Wes Anderson and Wong Kar Wai, we present a debut for a filmmaker known for his natural, effortless approach: Mike Leigh. Over forty years later the emotions he presents are just as fraught and fresh, a testament to a dramaturgy Leigh pioneered.