Born out of Director Sharon Lewis’s own muted struggle with not fitting into neat racial/ Queer/ Christian boxes, ‘With Wonder’ takes an intimate look at the journey of members of the Queer, Christian community of colour and their attempts to answer the question: “Can you be both Christian and Queer?” In this film we hear and see diverse members of the LGBTQI+ community, including high profile queer activists and Queer clerics, in places like Jamaica, New York, London, and Los Angeles. They each have their own unique ways of amplifying their voices and finding their way back to spiritual health, despite the shaming tactics of some Christian institutions. ‘With Wonder’ is a love letter to God from the LGBTQI+ community of colour.

Ten stories or one. Ten moments in the timeline: 1972, 1999, 1550, 2083, 1891, 2012, 1618, and the same reality: violence giving the final face to relations in Brazil. A slave revolt on a coffee plantation, the torture of a Native, the kidnapping of an ambassador, Jews hiding from the Inquisition, a tortured woman who sees her torturer in the audience to whom she tells of the crime committed by him, father and son talking during the second World War, a widow who lost everything in the Encilhada and is forced to marry and lose her freedom.

Pablo is a young priest who, for his revolutionary and rebellious ideals, is sent from Mexico by the Holy See, to a border town between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Desolate, dusty and forgotten. Here Pablo meets a beautiful and young prostitute nicknamed La Puchis. The discovery of a network of human trafficking and corruption unleashes a series of events and conflicts that will cast doubt on his principles, his votes and his credibility, leading him to a life or death fight.

Canadian filmmaker Jeanette Kong weaves together the strands of her Jamaican-Chinese identity as she recounts her father’s immigration journey—from China to Jamaica—and then eventually to Toronto, Canada. Drawing on her dad Keith Kong’s eloquent journal writing, and connecting with family around the globe, the filmmaker paints a deeply honest portrait of the Hakka migration experience. Why brave the hardships of immigration, not once, but twice in a single lifetime? Part personal memoir and part archival history, this is a story of courage, resilience and sacrifice: a daughter’s loving tribute to her immigrant father and to her Hakka heritage. Central to the film’s artistry are its journal sections: first-person accounts written by Keith Kong during his immigration journey. Narrated in the Hakka dialect, these chapters reveal a richly crafted collage of vintage footage, photos and graphics set to music. Inspired by her father’s words, the filmmaker travels to several far-flung places to reconnect with extended family and the legacy of her father’s choices is revealed. Intricately woven, the film presents a tapestry of history, culture and connections.

Shantaye Anderson is bold, black, beautiful, intelligent, and passionate about love. Born in rural St. Lucia during post-colonial times, she struggles to process the loss of a mother who passed away hours after bringing her into the world. She finds consolation in her loving grandmother, Mam Lucess, who tries to equip her for the world and her father, Edson Anderson, does his best to care for Shantaye after the passing of his wife. However, when he remarries, the young girl is suddenly exposed to the jealous wrath of an unreasonable stepmother. Her life changes forever when she falls in love with Jean Claude Le Marche. He is the handsome son of the community’s white doctor, a charismatic young man who promises to love her ‘til death. All hell breaks loose when Shantaye’s family and the community folk realise the pair are in love. To save Shantaye from making what he believes is a grave mistake, Edson sends her an England, still reeling from World War II.

Boris is a journalist who lives alone with his daughter, Lina. When his boss asks him to go to Haiti to report on the elections, he is driven back into his past life – which he will try to share with his daughter to help explain to her where she comes from.

‘Race Today’ tells the untold story of Black Britain’s political journal, featuring the members behind it. Produced by Wayne G Saunders, a filmmaker who was born at when the Race Today journal was establishing itself as a serious political voice in the black community. The film features heroes such as the late Darcus Howe, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Farrukh Dhondy, Leila Hassan, Jean Ambrose and many more who speak candidly about their lives and what the future looks like for the youth of today.

Way down the island countryside (or “Behind God’s Back”, as the locals call it)…

Tired of monotonous village life, Skimma dreams of seeing something different. But notwithstanding his constant complaints about his small village, after receiving the news that he has gotten Rebecca pregnant, Skimma comes up with a plan. Taking advantage of skills honed alongside a tourist man cheesemaker, Skimma embraces a new profession: the village weed supplier. It quickly becomes evident that everyone wants what he’s selling – even local Rastaman Osiris. Skimma is faced with making some money to provide for his new child and keeping his business out of reach of the law.

In the summer of 1982, Sintia flees the economic crisis in the Dominican Republic for the Middle East, looking for opportunity. Despite cultural and language barriers she meets Bashir, the love of her life to whom she marries and has a son, Ghassan. Despite the countless attacks in Syria, her family manages to survive in the midst of the bloodiest war in history. But they pay a high price – they get separated. 33 years later, seeking to reunite with her family, Sintia returns to the Dominican Republic. But it’s difficult for her to obtain the necessary papers for her husband (who is in Syria) and son (who is in Lebanon). Still, Sintia will not rest until her family is reunited.

‘One Hand Don’t Clap’ captures the vibrant story of calypso and the emergence of soca through the eyes of two legendary artists, Lord Kitchener and Calypso Rose. Its infectious rhythms and exhilarating irreverence illuminate topical themes that continue to resonate. A delightful film that reflects the legacy of a vast West Indian population, the impressive entrepreneurial growth of their music industry in the US, and the ongoing ties of this global community to the traditions that flourish in the Caribbean.