Every year, film lovers in Trinidad and Tobago look forward to the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival. The annual smorgasbord which features of some of the best films from Trinidad, the Caribbean and beyond runs from September 19 to 26. It’s also a time when filmmakers get a chance to meet the public and talk about the issues facing the industry. The last two years have been tough for everyone in the creative sector, but the overall excellence of T&T Film Festival shows that the filmmakers are not going to be deterred by the wider economic challenges. Festival founder and director Dr Bruce Paddington spoke with the T&T Guardian and voiced optimism about the local film industry and said the industry in the Caribbean is “ready to take off.”