The Dominican Republic is currently at the forefront of the Caribbean’s film industry. The country’s cinematographic culture has been strengthened by the growing support of the state, which offers compelling incentives for both local and international film professionals. Their production services and world-class facilities have led to them rightfully becoming a hub for the industry. Moreover, the filmmaking community, with their focus on indigenous storytelling is an exemplar for the rest of the Caribbean. 

Given their robust development over the last decade, are there lessons that we, as Caribbean neighbours, industries and storytellers, can learn? How do we improve the calibre of cinematographic output in the Caribbean? How do we sustainably grow an industry with international reach and appeal whilst supporting indigenous storytelling? This panel discussion will spotlight the Dominican Republic’s film industry – we will hear perspectives from industry professionals from the Dominican Republic as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

Logistics

date: Thursday 22 September, 2022
time: 4.30pm–5.45pm
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Mariel Brown

Presented with the support of the Embassy of the Dominican Republic

Ultimately, if you’re building a career as a filmmaker, you’re going to need to find a way to reach an audience for your work. Audiences could be connected via sales agents and distributors to film festivals, television, online or cable broadcasts, theatrical exhibitions, etc.

In this 90-minute discussion, panellists involved in the distribution pipeline (including Jim Kolmar, programmer for SXSW; Ingrid Jahra, CEO of CinemaOne Ltd; Diane Robertson, head of programming at TTT; Gian Franco, CEO of Pavilion Studios and Marcia Smith, President of Firelight Media) will discuss the various ways in which filmmakers can forge their own routes to audiences.

logistics

date: Thursday 22 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Mariel Brown

You may already have heard the term NFT amongst creatives venturing into new income pathways, but it takes time to understand the concept. Are you curious about what NFT universe has to offer? Are you trying to find an innovative field that could bring you more recognition, where your work could possibly go up in value. How does the value chain work, and is it even possible to achieve a stable flow of income by minting NFTs?

In this 90-minute discussion, Trinidad and Tobago creatives who work in the NFT space will shed light on networks, technologies and platforms and highlight the advantages along with any associated risk you should be aware of.

logistics

date: Tuesday 27 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
panelists: Competitiveness, Technology, and Innovation Division at IDB Kayla Grant, NFT Creator Nicholas Huggins, NFT Creator Rodell Warner and  Intellectual Property Attorney and NFT Consultant Joan Webley
moderator: Creative and Fashion Designer Anya Ayoung-Chee

target audience: industry practitioners, persons interested in NFTs, creatives and tech solutions practitioners and general members of the public.

Presented with the support of IDB

History is everywhere. It surrounds us and grounds us, moulds us and motivates us. The preservation of film archives creates a visual timeline which enables us to trace our roots, setting the stage for us to understand who we are by reflecting on where we have come from. Film archives are an invaluable element of this process of understanding our heritage – they can show us not only what happened, but how it looked, how it sounded and what it felt like; they can share the words, gestures and emotions of someone long gone. So many of the great films – whether documentary or narrative – view stories through the lens of history, and access to archival film resources are often essential to these. For young societies like Trinidad and Tobago, film archives are an especially important route to shaping and visioning ourselves.

In this 90-minute discussion, panellists will explore the role of film archives and discuss preservation, restoration and access.

logistics

date: Sunday 25 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Mariel Brown

If we agree that films can affect the way that we perceive ourselves, then can they also effect change? In this session, panellists who work in social-justice and -issue filmmaking discuss how seeing ourselves onscreen (whether big or small) might have a positive impact on our society’s development.

logistics

date: Sunday 25 September, 2022
time: 4.30pm–5.45pm
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Franka Phillip

Having a red carpet premiere of your film is the dream for many filmmakers. To achieve that dream, the first question to consider is, what kinds of films qualify as festival films? There are a wide variety of film festivals, each with its own philosophical and programming focus. The first step towards improving your chances of success, is to understand which film festivals are the ones for you. 

In this 90-minute discussion, panellists with years of festival experience will share their know-how to demystify the film festival. They will delve into questions such as, how do you decide if your project is a festival film; choosing the right festivals for your films. They will also share tips on building relationships with festivals and programmers, to improve your overall festival experience.

logistics

date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Asha Lovelace

What is the truth? And is there really such a thing as ‘“objective truth”? What responsibility do documentary filmmakers have to “the truth”?  As documentary filmmakers we are drawn to subjects that we have a genuine interest in and are guided by our innate beliefs and philosophies – these can often shape which aspects of the story we choose to focus on. So, in a sense, from the get-go, aren’t we moulding the truth to fit the story we’re telling? Are we directing the narrative, shaping it so it is received as we believe it to be or are we shedding light objectively? 

In this panel, documentary filmmakers with work in ttff/22 will discuss these and other thorny issues!

logistics

date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 12.30pm–2.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room) 
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Stanley Nelson Jr

Within the Caribbean – traditionally a deeply homophobic region – the LGBTQIA+ community faces an alarming level of danger and censure. In this context, making films that openly explore LGBTQIA+ characters, themes and stories is both revolutionary and risky, so   Caribbean filmmakers have tended to tread lightly around queer experiences for fear of harassment, rejection, stigmatization and even physical violence. But determined to tell their own stories, filmmakers are increasingly pushing back against this reticence.

Join us as we hear from filmmakers as they discuss the importance and challenges of centring queer experience in their storytelling.

logistics

date: Friday 23 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Franka Philip

featured image: production still from ‘Judgement Day’ directed by Francesca Hawkins

For first time filmmakers, the indie route is likely the way you’ll go. Although exciting, this process of filmmaking may also seem daunting. But we think the benefits far outweigh the pitfalls. For one thing, as an indie filmmaker, you have the creative freedom to tell your story the way you want to without the hassle of answering to a big production company. From script development, to fundraising, to casting, production, post and distribution, there are A LOT of things that you’ll need to consider!

In this 90-minute discussion, panellists will explore the challenging and often exciting process of making an indie film!

logistics

date: Monday 26 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Marcin J. Sobczak

Carnival is both a time for revelry and a time for work. Photographers, videographers and filmmakers can often be found behind a camera trying to capture the best images, while revellers enjoy themselves. It can be very hard work! But why do they feel the need to document the Carnival? 

As part of trinidad+tobago film festival’s #WatchAMovieOnUs carnival edition, we invite you to join us on Facebook Live for a panel discussion with moderator Ray Funk and panelists Kevin Adams, Maria Govan, Christopher Laird, Mark Lyndersay, Maria Nunes and Camille Parsons, as they discuss the importance, joys and challenges of documenting Carnival, through different lenses (narrative and non-fiction, moving image and still).

where: @ttfilmfestival Facebook page
when: Wednesday 10 February at 7pm AST