London’s Notting Hill Carnival is coming under increasing pressure and attacks from the British press, politicians, police and local residents who consider it an event of conflict. This is the story of the controversial event, from its inception out of the 1950s London race riots, to its present-day controversies that see it perceived as a Carnival of violence. Focusing on its arts and the darker past from which it emerged, Arts of Conflict seeks to open up the conversation about Carnival’s significance and its origins.

‘Salt of the Earth’ explores one facet of Trinidad’s culture through the music tradition of parang and the performers responsible for its survival—the parranderos as well as beloved television presenter, Holly Betaudier.

The music sets the pace for the discovery of the island’s beauty, its history, its landscape and its people. This is a journey into Trinidad’s past to better understand how an English-speaking country has managed to keep and continue a centuries-old Spanish tradition.

This film is the story of two very different brothers. Willy’s the difficult one consumed by his own impatience and Tito is the tireless believer and visionary.

Despite their differences, Willy and Tito agreed on one thing: that their quest in life is to use their music to help the down-and-outers, the lonely and the broken to accept themselves during what some consider to be the loneliest and most vulnerable time of the year… Christmas.

What happens when talent isn’t enough? When, in spite of a life of work, you look around in the autumn of your life and discover that your world is not what you thought it would be. This is where we meet Trinidadian jeweller, Barbie Jardine.

Trained at England’s prestigious Royal College of Art, Jardine moved back to her native Trinidad in 1974 where she developed new techniques in working with traditional and indigenous materials, and evolved a personal narrative style for making wearable works of art. But 30 years on from returning to the Caribbean, and in spite of having her work purchased by a major metropolitan museum, there are nagging questions she just can’t shake: Why isn’t my work more recognised? Have I made a crucial mistake? She is resentful and angry. And she wants something more. An opportunity to create a new piece for an exhibition in Scotland presents itself and Barbie is both nervous and hopeful. Will this be the chance to finally carve out her own space in the world?

Trinidadian Donald ‘Jackie’ Hinkson, in his 70th year and on the occasion of a massive retrospective in four exhibition spaces talks about his life’s work and demonstrates his techniques in expressing his intention while creating a watercolor from the blank page to completion and work on a number of sculptures, public murals and drawings. His obvious skill expressed with candor and humility imbue this uniquely structured film with charm and ease while stunning the viewer with an unusual insight into the creative process of one of the country’s greatest living artists.

A Story about Wendy

Wendy Phillips’ life spirals out of control after the sudden departure of her fiance. Forced to move back in with her parents, Wendy’s Mother and childhood best friend, Giselle are concerned that Wendy is hanging out with a deviant, Sylvia. Wendy hopes that landing a job with Television Presenter Simone Davies, will help get her back on her feet, but Simone has other plans for Wendy.

A Story about Wendy 2

Following on from A Story about Wendy (2012), when she was dumped by her fiancé and sought to get her life back together, Wendy Phillips returns in this hilarious second chapter of her adventures. Excited to start work at Quirky TV as Simone Davies’ personal assistant, Wendy proves that she is dedicated and efficient. But when she inadvertently discovers information that reveals what really happened to Simone’s previous assistants, Wendy realises that her life is in danger.

‘Fires of Hope’ was filmed in 1983 to commemorate the Independence of Trinidad and Tobago, and features artists, bankers, businessmen, fishermen and agriculturalists, economists, workers—citizens all—from Port of Spain to Charlotteville, who reveal their hopes and criticisms of Trinidad and Tobago after many years of Independence.

Seen against the expectations expressed through our national anthem and contextualized in the push for separation from the British Empire and the physical reality of the islands, with the music of our people ringing throughout.

Zhenzhen is smuggled into Trinidad and is threatened upon her arrival—she has to pay more money to enter into the country. Her brother Wei, who is working on the island in construction, intervenes and promises to pay her debt. Wei finds Zhenzhen a job at a Chinese restaurant where she crosses paths with Evelyn, a well educated, upper middle class Afro-Trinidadian, who has recently moved back to Port of Spain and runs an art gallery next to the restaurant. Wei tries to get an advance from his employer, Logan, but is unsuccessful. Zhenzhen becomes desperate and asks her employer, Mrs. Liu for the money, who agrees to give her an advance, but makes Zhenzhen promise she will work it off. Help comes unexpectedly from Evelyn—but the contrast of the dark rooms above the restaurant and the white gallery walls, calls everyone’s innocence into question.

A poignant tale of love, ambition and self-discovery, ‘Joebell and America’ is a movie adaptation of a short story by Trinidadian author, Earl Lovelace. Brian Green has the lead role as Joebell, a gambler who takes a risky path to fulfilling his dream of going to America. When things don’t go the way he plans, the young man is forced to examine and consider his true identity. Gabrielle Gellineau plays the beautiful Alicia, the love of his life. Directed by Asha Lovelace, the cast includes acclaimed actors Eunice Alleyne, Errol Roberts and Grace Maharaj, and cameos by Earl Lovelace and the real-life character on which the movie is based. The movie features music by 3Canal, Ataklan and the late rapso pioneer, Lancelot Layne.

‘Hit for Six’ is a captivating fictional story of a playboy West Indies cricketer who fights the demons of his past, including a match-fixing charge, and learns about love while struggling for his last chance to play in a major global tournament and earn the respect of his estranged father, a former great West Indies player. Alex Nelson, a talented but inconsistent cricketer, has been sidelined from the WI team for scuffling with his coach, Amir Misra of India. Now out of the team for three years, he pursues an unlikely quest to get back on the team for the last chance to play in the Global One Day Series. He is fueled by a burning desire to regain the respect of his estranged and critical father, a former great West Indies player, who was unfairly denied a chance to play in the first Global One Day Series.