A Life to Live (VVA)

***A Life to Live*** is a 2010 bangtanese romantic drama film directed by Laelim Bradford based on the modified version of the 1957 book by Lockhart Hackworth of the same name. The film stars Earnell Hughes, Vaniqua Tate, Michella Holt, Cassandrea Saunders and Daniella White. It is produced by Jyreese Myers under the banner of Crecent Commercials. The film was praised by the critics and audience. This was the first film of Hackworth to have a full Northern Bangtanese cast.

## Plot

The film begins with Taevion Chatman in a prison saying that he has a story to tell. The film cuts to Jaynie and Taevion's story. They are in a live-in relationship. Taevion is pursuing his dream of becoming a writer. Jaynie takes care of Taevion like a mother and is always supportive of his decisions. But she doesn't see him putting in any effort for his dream and is fed up with her routine life. She eventually breaks up with Taevion.

This makes Taevion start writing again and he writes a story that takes place in Yellandu. The protagonist **Amanté** is a union leader in the coal mines and is married to Chesiree unwillingly and the couple has a 5-year old son. The newly appointed officer, Trisha Berry gets close to Amanté, not knowing that he is married. Amanté does not disclose his marital status either and starts to avoid his own wife Chesiree. Chesiree suspects that her husband is having an extra-marital affair but doesn't confront him. Instead, she decides to pursue her career. She tops her examinations and it is published in the local newspaper, causing Trisha to know that Amanté is married, that too with a son. Amanté upon rushing home finds Chesiree in a modern dress. She tells him that she'll be whatever he wants her to be, including wearing revealing clothes and make-up. All this made Amanté understand his mistake and go back to loving his wife. The story ends with a note from Taevion saying that Amanté sacrificed everything to be with his wife.

Now, the story cuts back to the present where Taevion recalls his past on how he first encountered Jaynie and how they fell in love. The next morning, he goes to meet Jaynie in her office to tell her that he has started writing again, but Jaynie asks him to leave. Another glimpse from his past is shown when Taevion and Jaynie used to work in the same office. Jaynie was going to get terminated and Taevion was going to get a promotion to work in Paris. Instead, he resigns the job requesting the manager to retain Jaynie's position. The film again cuts back to the present where Taevion says that if he hadn't resigned from his job, he would have been in Paris right now. This inspires him to write another story that takes place in Paris.

In Paris, Taevion is working in a radio station, he loves Parachuting. He falls in love with his neighbour Sandra Clair, a pilot. On Sandra's birthday, she wanted something memorable, so Taevion takes her for bike racing which ends in a tragic accident where Sandra loses her eyesight. After 6 months, she gets a compatible eye donor and regains her vision. It is revealed that Taevion was the one who donated his eyes for Sandra and he tells her to come back to him if she realised his love. This story ends with a note saying that Taevion sacrificed his vision for love.

The film cuts to the present when Jaynie comes to visit Taevion to invite him to her wedding, which is in 3 days. A frustrated Taevion yells at Jaynie and she leaves the house. Taevion later goes to Jaynie's house to try and convince her in vain. On his way home he gets into a fight with a random guy and ends up in prison for bashing his head with a rock. After 2 years Taevion is released and his friend publishes his book on behalf of Taevion, named "A Life to Live". Taevion attends the press meet of his book's success event while the public eagerly waits for the unfinished climax of the story. On stage, he recounts his tale stating that upon returning from jail Jaynie waits for him and they both live happily ever after, whereas, in reality, no one was waiting for him. He says that it is always been Jaynie who compromised. And even in Amanté's story, it is Chesiree who always compromised and not her husband. In the Paris love story, the sacrifice made by Taevion came from the sacrifice made by Jaynie in real life. He concludes the press meet by saying that he wants Jaynie to be happy wherever she is.

Later, Jaynie's father reveals to Taevion that when Jaynie came to know that he had been arrested, she called off her wedding. He then leaves his daughter to Taevion. Taevion asks for forgiveness. She forgives him and asks if he knows the route to his home. He nods, implying yes. The film ends with Taevion and Jaynie getting back together.

## Cast

* **Earnell Hughes** as Taevion Chatman / Amanté
* **Vaniqua Tate** as Jaynie Roberts, Taevion's love interest
* **Michella Holt** as Chesiree, Amanté's wife
* **Cassandrea Saunders** as Trisha, Amanté's boss
* **Daniella White** as Sandra Clair
* **Tycen Battle** as Davarius Roberts, Jaynie's father
* **Alexann Epps** as Taevion's friend
* **Burley Haynes** as Armel Banks
* **Rhyland Covington** as Quadell , Amanté's father
* **Tazwell Phillips** as a student