Keenly anticipated by filmmakers and film enthusiasts, this year’s trinidad+tobago film festival is set to captivate audiences with its powerful stories, and striking visuals. Film programmers have already hinted that the diverse slate of talent from the Caribbean and beyond is sure to resonate with local audiences and it is therefore fitting that the opening night film, ‘Chee$e’ [16+] is directed by Trinidadian filmmaker, Damian Marcano. 

Marcano is excited to have the Caribbean premier of his film at ttff/22 and shares, “I couldn’t have predicted that ‘Chee$e’ would have had the type of reception that it has had thus far – and now I can’t wait to take it in at home. I hope people can take away that they should just be themselves because that is what we did when we made the film…  we stayed true to who we are. ‘Chee$e’ is a vibe; let’s keep the vibes going.” 

Seven years in the making, ‘Chee$e’ [16+] tells the story of Skimma (Akil Williams), a young man who has to come up with a plan when he gets a girl pregnant. Set in a town referred to as “Behind God’s Back” presumably in Trinidad and Tobago, Skimma is desperate to escape his situation. With dreams that are larger than island life, he takes the lessons learned from working with the local cheesemaker to his new enterprise – baking weed into blocks of cheese and selling it. ‘Chee$e’ takes us on a ride with Skimma as he schemes to achieve wealth, becoming the island’s most prolific supplier as demand for his product grows. We experience all the highs, lows and increasing risk of danger right along with him. 

A twisted rags-to-riches tale, the authentic portrayal of island life and one man’s struggle to create his own niche, ‘Chee$e’ is the first instalment of a planned trilogy and its remarkable performances, score and visuals do not disappoint. 

Described as “a model of what independent filmmaking should be” by Richard Brody, The New Yorker, the film has been praised for its “exuberance and scrutiny, craft and sincerity, hands-on artistry and incisive observation.”

Interestingly, Marcano also served as the film’s cinematographer, screenwriter, and composer – his unique way of seeing is apparent throughout. No doubt enriched by his background, Marcano’s career began shooting shorts in the region: ‘The little boy and the ball’, ‘Giants’, and ‘Heart of a monster’. His feature, award-winning film, ‘God loves the fighter’ racked up numerous prizes worldwide, setting him on a path to direct Hollywood titles, including HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty’, and FX’s ‘Snowfall’.

The Opening Night screening takes place at IMAX on 21 September with a pre-screening cocktail reception at IMAX. The afterparty will be held at the Dalai Llama (Lower Commons, One Woodbrook Place). Tickets cost $200 and there are discounts for  FILMCO members. Tickets will be available online at https://ttfilmfestival.com/product/opening-night-gala-ticket-cheee and from the festival office from 23 August. 

God Loves the Fighter, by T&T filmmaker Damian Marcano, screened to a packed audience Tuesday night, during the WeBeat Festival, at the St James Amphitheatre. The free screening was organised by the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) and sponsored by Flow. Among those in attendance were lead actors Abdi Waithe (the gangsta, Stone) and Muhammad Muwakil (the protagonist, Charlie), and supporting actress Tishanna Williams.

The award-winning film God Loves the Fighter, by T&T filmmaker Damian Marcano, is expected to play to a full house when it screens in St. James on Tuesday, June 6, having previously played to sold-out audiences at the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) in 2013, and at other screenings around the world.

Melvina Hazard of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival and actor Muhammad Muwakil–who plays the titular role of Charlie–stopped by Loop to talk more about the film.

The free screening will take place during the WeBeat Festival, at 7 pm at the St James Amphitheatre, next door to the St James Police Station on the Western Main Road.

Shot during the 2011 State of Emergency, God Loves The Fighter tells a story about life lived on the edge – a life far removed from some, yet clearly very much part of the social fabric of urban T&T.

The award-winning film God Loves the Fighter, a gritty urban drama by US-based, Trinidad and Tobago-born filmmaker Damian Marcano, will screen at We Beat’s We Film Night on Tuesday—in tribute to the late Earl Crosby.

The free screening, at the St James Amphitheatre, is presented by the Trinidad+Tobago Film Festival (TTFF).

Hailed for its “non-conformist and thrilling voice” by the UK’s Candid magazine and for its “slick cinematography” by film magazine Variety, God Loves the Fighter played to sold-out audiences at the TTFF 2013 where it won the People’s Choice Award and the Best Local Feature Award. It also went on to win the 2014 Yellow Robin Award at the Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam, among others.

The award-winning film God Loves the Fighter, a gritty, urban drama by US-based, TT-born filmmaker Damian Marcano, will screen at We Beat’s We Film Night on Tuesday, June 6 at 7pm in tribute to the late Earl Crosby. The free screening, at the St James Amphitheatre, is presented by the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), courtesy its sponsor, Flow.

Hailed for its “non-conformist and thrilling voice”  by the UK’s Candid magazine and for its “slick cinematography” by the film magazine, Variety, God Loves the Fighter, played to sold out audiences at the ttff 2013, where it won the People’s Choice Award and the Best Local Feature Award.

It also went on to win the 2014 Yellow Robin Award at the Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam among others.

God Loves the Fighter tells the story of Charlie, a young man seeking to make ends meet on the streets of Port of Spain. Reluctantly, he takes a job from a gang leader as assistant to a drug courier. As he becomes entangled in a web of deceit, the ripple effects are felt across the city, complicating his attempts  at redemption.

Shot during the 2011 State of Emergency,  in an urgent and unflinching style, God Loves the Fighter was Marcano’s debut feature film. A Trinidadian who grew up in Morvant, Marcano moved to America at age 12, later enrolling as a pre-med student at Ohio State University, before moving to New York to become a web design programmer.