A strong lineup of critically acclaimed, award-winning Caribbean films will screen at this year’s trinidad+tobago film festival (tt/ff), to be held from September 19 – 26, at MovieTowne Port of Spain, San Fernando and Tobago, as well as at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

The films from some of the Caribbean’s finest filmmakers, include, from the Dominican Republic, Jose Maria Cabral’s Carpinteros (Woodpeckers), a high-octane,  no-holds barred movie about a forbidden relationship conducted through prison bars and across the 200 yards of empty space dividing the male and female prisons in Santo Domingo.  Described by critics as a raw, intriguing and energetic blend of the tough and the tender, Carpinteros played at the Sundance Film Festival, to great acclaim.

Bahamian filmmaker, Kareem Mortimer’s moving and topical film, Cargo, tells the tragic story of human trafficking from the point of view of reluctant trafficker, Kevin. An American exile with a gambling addiction, living in the Bahamas, he begins smuggling Haitians to Florida in an act of desperation, to keep his secrets buried and get out of a financial bind.

The trinidad+tobago film festival and bpTT have launched a search for the Best TT Film in Development, which comes with the chance to win a cash prize of $10,000, towards the completion of the film.

Sponsored by bpTT,  the award is for a narrative or documentary feature film in pre-production.

According to Danielle Jones, Manager, Corporate Communications at BPTT, “The Award is part of BPTT’s continuing investment in the cultural sector of Trinidad and Tobago, as we recognise the enormous social and economic benefits that culture can offer to our country – including helping with economic diversification. Our long history of support for the arts includes the showcasing of local films through the trinidad+tobago film festival, investment in films that speak to, or support, our rich cultural traditions such as this year’s Green Days by the River and To Be a Renegade – and of course, supporting emerging filmmakers with great potential.”

To be eligible, applicants must be a citizen or resident of Trinidad and Tobago, and be working on a film that’s made in Trinidad and Tobago.

The award-winning film Ninth Floor, a documentary produced by Trinidadian-born, Canada-based,  Selwyn Jacob, will make its cinematic return to Trinidad this Thursday at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine. The free screening is presented by the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) in partnership with the Department of Cultural Studies, UWI.

Described as addressing, “the most dramatic and violent racial conflict in modern Canadian history” by povmagazine.com, Ninth Floor examines the Sir George Williams University riot of February 1969, when six Caribbean students mounted a protest against institutional racism. It would snowball into 14 days of chaos and violence, with riot police storming the occupied ninth floor, and a storm of computer cards raining down onto the streets below.

The film–which uses never-before-seen footage of the students’ protest and occupation of the ninth floor computer room as well as interviews with several of the students involved–was chosen as one of Canada’s top ten films by the the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)  in 2016.

Directed by independent filmmaker Mina Shum, Ninth Floor screens Thursday 20 July, 5:30PM at the Centre for Language Learning (CLL), The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine.  It is rated 14+.

Now in its fourth year, the Youth Jury panel at the trinidad + tobago film festival (ttff)  offers five young people the chance of lifetime to see great films from all over the world, as well as learn the ‘how-to’s’ of critiquing them and gain exclusive access to some of the Festival’s major film events.

According to three members of the 2016 Youth Jury – Marc Angus Skinner, Christopher Lou-Hing and Asa Reyes – the experience was both amazing and transformational.

Nineteen-year-old Skinner described it as “spectacular”. “This [was] my first time sitting on a jury and I enjoyed interacting with people my own age. It was really wonderful to see different personalities interact, watch the same movie and come up with different conclusions…”

Lou-Hing, now a film student at University of the West Indies (UWI) stated, “I really didn’t know what to expect coming into the jury but it was so much more.” The 20-year-old said, “being on the jury really helped me with developing that critical eye when watching a film, which I think was a really good stepping stone into university for me”.

“I learned not just tolerance, but appreciation for things that I cannot easily identify with”, said 22-year-old Asa Reyes. “There was a need for  teamwork as I discovered each juror had their own perceptions of the different films.”  After serving on the youth Jury in 2016, Reyes returned to school to finish her  Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

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 trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) has issued a call for all young people who love film, to apply to be a member of its youth jury and help select the winning film for the 2017 Youth Jury Award, which will be presented during the Festival in September.

Applications are open to young people between the ages of 16 to 21 years (inclusive) who are interested in and wish to develop, a critical appreciation of independent film. Applicants must be TT citizens, residents, or based in Trinidad and Tobago for at least one year prior to application.

Prospective Youth Jury members must apply by writing an essay of no more than 250 words, saying what their favourite movie is and why. Applicants must also provide their name, date of birth, gender, citizenship, residence and school or occupation.

The deadline for filmmakers wishing to submit a film for screening at the 12th edition of the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) which will be held from September 19-26 is fast approaching.

According to a release from Festival coordinators, those wishing to submit a film must do so by May 15. A rough cut will be considered.

The Festival accepts submissions from Caribbean filmmakers, Caribbean filmmakers in the diaspora, and international filmmakers with films from or about the Caribbean or its diaspora. Submissions must have been produced after January 1, 2015.

All submissions must be made online, via the ttff Visitor Page.

There is no submission fee.

For queries, contact festival representatives directly at submit@ttfilmfestival.com, or visit the FAQ page on their website.

“The trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) celebrates films from and about the Caribbean and its diaspora, as well as from world cinema through an annual festival and year-round screenings,” the release said. “In addition, the ttff seeks to facilitate the growth of Caribbean cinema by offering a wide-ranging industry programme and networking opportunities. The ttff is presented by Flow, given leading sponsorship by bpTT, and contributing sponsorship by RBC Royal Bank.”

For further information visit www.ttfilmfestival.com.