Adapted from James Baldwin’s powerful novel by Moonlight director Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk is a lyrical celebration of love, both familial and romantic, told through the prism of a young African-American couple’s struggle for justice in 1970s Harlem. At the centre of the story is Tish, a newly engaged woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first-born child to term. Jenkins’ elegant third feature sings with soulful performances from a largely unknown cast, and paints a wonderful portrait of New York against a backdrop of social change and injustice. It’s a dreamy, sometimes heartbreaking tale of love against impossible odds, and a timely reminder that compassion can be a force of nature.