Strong Lineup of Caribbean Films Announced for TT Film Festival 2016

Four fiction features from Trinidad and Tobago are among this year’s lineup of Caribbean films at the 2016 trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), which takes place from 20-27 September. The films are part of a strong programme of critically acclaimed and award-winning features and shorts from some of the Caribbean’s finest filmmakers.

The T+T feature films include: Sanskara by Christopher Din Chong, a chilling tale in which the veneer of ordinary family life is unmasked to reveal something far more sinister; Tomb, a sci-fi adventure by Nicholas Attin. Set in outer space in 2025, when the T+T commander of a space vessel receives a distress call, he must risk all he holds dear to find and rescue his friend and fellow countryman; and The Cutlass by Darisha Beresford. Inspired by true events, The Cutlass tells the story of a young woman’s physical and mental journey into the abyss, where, pitted against a sociopath, she is forced to muster all her emotional and mental prowess to survive.

Over seventy fiction features, documentaries and short films from filmmakers across the English, French, Spanish and Dutch speaking Caribbean will screen at venues in Port of Spain, Arima, Chaguanas and San Fernando, and at MovieTowne Tobago.

Amongst them is Antes Que Cante El Callo<

Still to be announced are the international films screening in the Festival’s Panorama section, and the experimental works of the New Media section. The ttff/16 opening night film Play the Devil, by Maria Govan and Abigail Hadeed, was announced last week.

The Caribbean films in competition are as follows:

Best Feature Film – Narrative

• El Acompañante/The Companion – Pavel Giroud, Cuba
• Esteban – Jonal Cosculluela, Cuba
• Antes Que Cante El Callo/Before the Rooster Crows – Arí Manuel Cruz, Puerto Rico
• Play the Devil – Maria Govan, Trinidad+Tobago, The Bahamas, the USA
• The Cutlass – Darisha Beresford, Trinidad+Tobago

Best Feature Film – Documentary

• Make Mine Country – Ian Berry, St. Lucia
• Diva: Enemy of the People – Tony Oldham, St. Lucia,
• Se Bondye vie Yuli (God Willing Yuli) – Jean Jean, Haiti/Dominican Republic

Best T+T Feature Film

• The Cutlass – Darisha Beresford
• Tomb – Nicholas Attin
• Sanskara – Christopher Din Chong
• Play The Devil – Maria Govan

Best T+T Short Film – Narrative

• Redman – Jared Prima
• Dream Seller – Shane Lee Kit
• Sweat – Josiah Persad

Best T+T Short Film – Documentary

• The Dying Swan: Ras Nijinsky in drag as Pavlova – Christopher Laird
• How We Play with Fire – Desiree Sampson
• Living Without You – Anna-Lisa Wickham
• Who I say I Am – Amir Ali

Best Short Film – Narrative

• SO.C13.TY – Khris Burton, Martinique
• Nightmare Before Wedding – Orain-Chomaud Fabienne, Guadeloupe
• Carapazón/Shell – Joa Vidal, Cuba
• Lost Boy – Aisha Porter-Christie, Jamaica
• Rico – Lynda D’Alexis, Martinique

Best Short Film – Documentary

• Blessed Love – Kra Kouassi, Guadeloupe
• Iceberg – Juliana Gómez, Cuba
• Welcoming Arms – Rosanne Ma, Bermuda
• H20 – Clish Gittens, Barbados

United Nations T+T Award for Best Emerging Documentary Filmmaker

• Amir Ali – Who I Say I Am
• Desiree Sampson – How We Play With Fire
• Jamie Lee Loy – Super Me
• Jonathan Barcant – Small Change
• Kyle Sahadeo – The Absentee