Venue: Queen’s Hall
Date: Sep 23, 2023
Time: 6.00 pm–11.00 pm

Screening + DJ + Performer Sekon Sta.

Please be our guest tonight! Use the link below for a complimentary ticket:

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Our heartfelt thanks for joining us at the Opening Night Gala of ttff/23. Your presence made it a remarkable evening, and we loved connecting and socialising with you and our esteemed international and local film directors, talented actors and actresses.

We hope you enjoyed the premiere of ‘Doubles‘, a captivating feature film by the award-winning director and screenwriter, Ian Harnarine. The gourmet movie menu, accompanied by a delightful welcome drink, was a treat for the senses. Additionally, the live performance by the renowned Soca superstar, Olatunji Yearwood, added a touch of energy and vibes to the night, making it truly unforgettable!

Thank you for being a part of this special event and we look forward to seeing you at this year’s screenings!

Advocating for Women’s Rights and Stopping Domestic Violence in the Caribbean

Join us for an empowering cinematic experience at the i-ADVOCATE Film Block.

All women deserve a world safe from harm. A world that truly embraces their value! We’re dedicated to advocating for Women’s Rights and Stopping Domestic Violence in the Caribbean. This provocative film block was curated with the EFF.

Four impactful films await you:

• Our Menopause
• Cuerpos Vivos (Living Bodies)
• Flesh
• Une Soeur

Date: September 22, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Venue: MovieTowne, Port of Spain
Tickets: $40 TTD (for all four movies)

Tickets are available at the Movietowne Box Office.

We are honoured to have His Excellency, Peter Cavendish, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Delegation of the European Union who will share the opening remarks. For more information, contact us at 1.868.227.8458.

Let’s make a difference together.

This is your chance to Mix and Mingle with international and local film directors, actors and actresses at the Opening Night Gala of ttff/23. Enjoy our premiere feature film ‘Doubles’ by award-winning director and screenwriter, Ian Harnarine, a gourmet movie menu with a welcome drink and a live performance from none other than Soca superstar, Olatunji Yearwood.

Venue: Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain
Date: September 20, 2023
Time: 6.00 pm–11.00 pm

Book your tickets early to save 14%.

Get Your Tickets Here

You can also see ‘Doubles’ at this year’s Cinema Under the Stars at Naparima Bowl on September 25.

See you there!

We’re thrilled to welcome you to Cinema Under the Stars, proudly sponsored by Shell (Trinidad and Tobago), for two unforgettable evenings on September 24 and 25, 2023.

On September 24, join us on the green space in the Fatima College Courtyard from 6.00 pm–9.00 pm for a special family night featuring the student film ‘Panazz: The Story’. Directed by Adam Bartholomew, a former Fatima College head boy currently pursuing studies at Harvard College and Berklee College of Music, the film provides an intimate glimpse into the Trinidadian jazz steelpan ensemble, Panazz. Delve into the perspectives of key players, including Barry Bartholomew (leader), Dane Gulston, Natasha Joseph, and Donell Thomas, as they share their journey and the groundbreaking music that defines Panazz.

On September 25, experience the magic under the stars in the Amphitheatre of the Naparima Bowl from 6.00 pm–9.00 pm. This family-friendly evening will feature the Caribbean premiere of the feature film ‘Doubles’, directed by Ian Harnarine. Ian, born in Toronto, Canada, and the son of Trinidad & Tobago immigrants, will be present to discuss his directorial experience, joined by leading actor Sanjiv K. Boodhu.

Both evenings promise a fantastic time for families. Remember to bring your blankets, chairs, and coolers. Spaces are limited, so secure your entry pass through our Guest List form.

Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy outstanding films and create lasting memories with loved ones under the starry skies.

Images from the trinidad+tobago film festival 2023 Press Conference held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on the 4th of September, 2023.

Written and directed by Ian Harnarine, Doubles tells the story of a Trinidadian street vendor who must travel to Toronto and decide if he will help save his estranged father from dying. Produced this year, and filmed in both Trinidad and Canada, Doubles will have its Caribbean premier at this year’s trinidad+tobago film festival at the Opening Night on September 20, 2023 at Queen’s Hall.

Ian Harnarine was born in Toronto, Canada and is the son of immigrants from Trinidad & Tobago. He attended York University earning a Bachelor’s degree in Physics & Astronomy and a Master’s degree in Nuclear Physics from the University of Illinois and an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Film School. Harnarine is a member of the National Board of Review, The Television Academy and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. Harnarine’s film ‘Doubles With Slight Pepper’ (Executive Produced by Spike Lee), won the Best Short Film Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Canadian Academy Award.

Doubles with Slight Pepper tells the story of Dhani, a young doubles vendor who lives with his mother, Sumintra, in rural Trinidad. When Dhani’s father, Ragbir, who had migrated to Canada years before and eventually abandoned his family, returns, Dhani is resentful and wants nothing to do with him. But when Ragbir reveals he is suffering from a potentially fatal illness and needs Dhani to be a donor for a blood transfusion, both father and son are forced to confront their broken past.

When it was screened at ttff/12, Doubles with Slight Pepper, was a 16-minute feature. Just before its arrival in T&T, it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the world’s largest public film festival where it won the prize for Best Short Film, in 2011.

The short feature also won the prize for Best Live Action Short Film at the Genie Awards, Canada’s version of the Oscars.

‘Caroni’, another film by Harnarine, about a West Indian domestic worker in New York, premiered at TIFF and continues to screen at festivals worldwide.

Harnarine has made dozens of films for Sesame Street, one of which garnered an Emmy nomination. ‘Party Done’, Harnarine’s feature documentary about controversial crime reporter Ian Alleyne, played theatrically in the Caribbean.

Fast forward to ttff/23, the 18th edition of the trinidad+tobago film festival, Harnarine presents Doubles as a feature film, which will be screened on Opening Night of the TTFF, at Queen’s Hall on September 20, 2023 from 6pm-11pm. Patrons will also be treated to live entertainment by Olatunji Yearwood. Tickets can be purchased in advance on Island e-Tickets.

This was the result of Harnarine’s success at Pitch This! competition at TIFF in 2012 for his pitch for the feature-length version of ‘Doubles’. That year he was also named one of Filmmaker magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film.

‘Doubles’, a feature film, is currently in post-production while Harnarine writes an adaptation of David Chariandy’s novel ‘Soucouyant’. Harnarine was selected by Filmmaker Magazine as one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film, profiled in the New York Times and named one of Playback Magazine’s Ten to Watch.

Stay In the Know – Follow Us

Visit us at ttfilmfestival.com for more information, and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

We’re pleased to launch the eighteenth edition of the renowned trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), which has been managed for the past four years by the Filmmakers Collaborative of Trinidad and Tobago (FILMCO). FILMCO is a registered not for profit membership based organization dedicated to promoting and supporting Caribbean affiliated films, including distribution of these films on television and online streaming platforms. The Company has worked on successfully executing the ttff since 2019 and growing the brand further.

The trinidad+tobago film festival showcases films from and about the Caribbean and its diaspora. The excitement surrounding the Festival this year is indescribable, as many films shown during the festival include World and Caribbean premiers. Audiences will have the opportunity to see new work from their favorite filmmaker. The countries represented in the Festival include Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname, St. Vincent, Haiti, Brazil, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, France, Spain, Germany, USA, Netherlands, and Nepal.

This year’s Festival premieres on September 20, with the Opening Night, being hosted at Queen’s Hall from 6pm-11pm. Audiences will be able to mix and mingle with local and international filmmakers and actors, while getting the chance to see the premier film, ‘Doubles’ which was written and directed by Ian Harnarine, a Canadian born to Trinidadian parents. They’ll also be treated to live entertainment by Olatunji Yearwood. Tickets can be purchased in advance on Island e-Tickets.

The Festival will continue on September 21, to end on September 27, presenting just over 100 films from a variety of genres. These films were the final selections from over 200 entries received, showcasing the caliber of films that can be produced in the Caribbean, by Caribbean roots, or for the Caribbean. Movie lovers can attend screenings at MovieTowne (Port of Spain), the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS – PoS), and The UWI Film Programme (St Augustine Campus).

Two special open air night cinema activations will be held at Fatima College and Naparima Bowl.

The trinidad+tobago film festival continues to be a mainstay of Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural calendar, and is well-established as the premiere film festival of the English-speaking Caribbean. It is a key incentive for creative innovation in the Caribbean film industry. The Festival continues to carve a needed space that does not readily exist for independent films to be reviewed by local audiences and international sales agents or distributors. It also brings together the business community, by creating a tangible product that they can invest in because it delivers value. The Festival also generates employment opportunities.

This year, ttff introduces two new additions: an award category for the best film by a woman, as well as a film block titled i-Advocate, that deals with issues relating to domestic violence and women’s rights. i-Advocate has been curated in conjunction with the European Film Festival and entries for the 2023 ttff.

The Festival will also include master classes and panels. There is special emphasis on professional development workshops which will be hosted at NALIS.

We are pleased to have the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago as the Signature Sponsor of the Festival. We’re happy, also, to have Republic Bank Limited, Shell, and The Trinidad and Tobago Film Company Limited (FilmTT), as lead sponsors.

Stay In the Know – Follow Us

Visit us at ttfilmfestival.com for more information, and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

We’re delighted to announce the esteemed panel of programmers selecting films for the 18th edition of the trinidad+tobago film festival. The ttff/23 programming team is composed of film curators, producers, historians, writers and directors from Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and Cuba. They will select all the films for the 2023 film programme, as well as choose the films shortlisted for competition.

Ivonne Cotorruelo is a Cuban film curator and former producer based in New York, who has been empowering storytellers for over a decade. She is a features programmer at Cleveland International Film Festival CIFF, Miami International Film Festival MIFF, Outfest LA, trinidad+tobago film festival. She has served as juror for film festivals around the globe, and as reviewer for The Chicken and Egg fund, Warner Media New Voices Initiatives, Black and Latino Inclusion Fellowship in LA, and Disney. A Berlinale Talent Campus alumnus, she is always seeking out stories for underrepresented voices. and working on a plan of strategic diversity, equity and inclusion.

Danielle Dieffenthaller has over 20 years of experience in the television and film industry. She is the owner/producer/director of Dieffenthaller Style Films Ltd, which produced the popular programmes “Iere Vibe” and “The Reef”.  She was the main force behind the television production company Earth TV Ltd, and producer/director and co-writer of the acclaimed “Ecowatch” series and the long-running “Westwood Park” (100 episodes). Dieffenthaller’s resumé includes work with TTT, UK-production company Bandung Productions and the groundbreaking production house Banyan Productions, where she and one other crew member were the only local crew to capture the events of the 1990 attempted coup. She is a co-founder of FILMCO and the 2019 Arts and Letters Laureate of the Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence.

Jim Kolmar is an independent programmer who curated films for South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) from 2009-2020, where he continues to consult on international and feature films. He is also currently programming for trinidad+tobago film festival, and was a founding committee member at Festival Internacional de Cine Tulum (FICTU). Jim was also a guest curator for Portland International Film Festival 2021. Jim is a contributing writer for Ambulante Film Festival in Mexico, and has served on juries, panels and committees for organisations including Austin Film Society, BAFICI, Berlinale, Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM), CONNeXT, CPH:DOX, IDFA, IFFPanama, IN-EDIT Barcelona, San Sebastián, and Ventana Sur.

Dr Bruce Paddington
Bruce Paddington (PhD) is a filmmaker, academic and film festival curator. He was a senior lecturer in film at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and the co-founder of the Bachelor of Arts Film Programme. He is the founder of Banyan Productions, the New World Film Centre and the trinidad+tobago film festival and was the festival director from 2006–19. He is a programmer for trinidad+tobago film festival.

BC Pires was called to the bar of Trinidad and Tobago in 1984 and enrolled as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1989 but, since January 1988, has done nothing but write for a living. His satirical column, “Thank God It’s Friday”, published more or less every Friday of the last 32 years, has been published in the Express, the Guardian and Newsday. He has tried to write sensibly about film from an informed lay perspective since 1988. He sat on the first jury of the trinidad+tobago film festival and wrote the Judges’ Report. He has also written about West Indies cricket for publications all over the world, notably, the UK Guardian and Observer newspapers. He has lived in Port of Spain, London, Georgetown and, since 2008, Barbados. 

Patrice Robinson is a film programmer and writer based in London. She has volunteered at Leeds International Film Festival, Leytonstone Loves Film, Norwich International Film Festival and our very own trinidad+tobago film festival. She is currently a member of the cinema team at the Barbican Centre in London. Entering the film industry as a graduate of the Independent Cinema Office’s FEDs Scheme, Patrice is committed to programming films that speak to under served communities. Most recently, Patrice curated the season – Snapshots: Caribbean Cinema Up Close which explores Caribbean self-representation in film.  

FILMCO is pleased to announce the creation of a new programming strand for ttff/23: made in t+t (official selection/ eligible for people’s choice award only) a developmental programming strand for new and emerging filmmakers who reside in Trinidad and Tobago, and are making films in and/ or about Trinidad and Tobago. Submitted films can be short, medium length or feature, documentary or narrative, and must demonstrate the filmmaker’s commitment, passion for storytelling and potential for further development (through feedback, mentorship etc). 

Eligible filmmakers should have produced no more than two short films or one medium-length or feature film. First-time filmmakers are encouraged to submit. If accepted, filmmakers will be expected to attend in-person review sessions in June and July of 2023, and make further edits to their films (based on mentor feedback) in preparation for public screenings in September and October at ttff/23.

Please note that in order to facilitate the mentor feedback, filmmakers for this category must submit via Film Freeway by the regular deadline which is 31 March 2023.