Sing for Darfur

On the day that a benefit concert for Darfur takes place in Barcelona, the inhabitants of this city are chiefly occupied with themselves. A short-tempered guy curses everyone crossing his path. A little later, we see him at work as a living statue. Meekly, he poses for a picture with a tourist. A thief robs her purse and runs through the alleys. On a scooter, the purse is taken to a suspicious-looking character, who is primarily interested in a concert ticket he finds . After these people, we follow countless other characters. We follow them for a few streets or catch snippets of conversations. Sometimes the topic is Darfur, but usually the urbanites are engaged in their daily worries.

Directed by Johan Kramer, Sing for Darfur leans on a strong ensemble — Melina Matthews, Pere Molina, Aida Oset — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2008.