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Arts & Culture

INDEPENDENT LENS: Goodbye Solo

William (Red West) and Solo (Souléymane Sy Savané) in Solo's cab. Solo drives William to a mountaintop where he plans to commit suicide. Through this unlikely, but unforgettable friendship, "Goodbye Solo" deftly explores the passing of a generation, as well as the rapidly changing face of America.
Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
William (Red West) and Solo (Souléymane Sy Savané) in Solo's cab. Solo drives William to a mountaintop where he plans to commit suicide. Through this unlikely, but unforgettable friendship, "Goodbye Solo" deftly explores the passing of a generation, as well as the rapidly changing face of America.

Airs Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV

The Making Of

Writer/director/producer Ramin Bahrani talks about the real-life cab driver, elderly man, and location that inspired "Goodbye Solo," and the night-shift cab rides that helped him prepare for making the film.

On the lonely roads of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, two men forge an improbable friendship that will change both of their lives forever. Solo is a Senegalese cab driver working to provide a better life for his young family. William is a tough, Southern, good ol’ boy with a lifetime of regrets. One man’s American dream is just beginning, while the other’s is quickly winding down. But despite their differences, both men soon realize they need each other more than either is willing to admit.

Through this unlikely, but unforgettable friendship, "Goodbye Solo" deftly explores the passing of a generation, as well as the rapidly changing face of America.

“Ramin Bahrani is the director of the decade.” — Roger Ebert

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Video Excerpt: Independent Lens: Goodbye Solo