ttff talks are in depth and insightful conversations with creative masters on their creative journeys, inspiration, challenges and personal philosophies. ttff talks are presented with the support of The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

Logistics

date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: ​4.30pm–5.45pm
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: Sign up here!
tickets: free
moderator: Mariel Brown

about Stanley Nelson Jr

Stanley Nelson Jr is today’s leading documentarian of the African-American experience. His films combine compelling narratives with rich historical detail to illuminate the under-explored American past. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Nelson has received numerous honours over the course of his career, including five Primetime Emmy Awards for his films, as well as lifetime achievement awards from the Emmys, the Peabodys, and IDA. In 2013, Nelson received the National Medal in the Humanities from President Barack Obama. His latest film, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, premiered at Sundance in January 2019.

In 2000, Mr Nelson, along with his wife, Marcia A. Smith, founded Firelight Media, a non-profit production company dedicated to using historical film to advance contemporary social justice causes, and to mentoring, inspiring and training a new generation of diverse young filmmakers committed to telling underrepresented stories.

about Marcia Smith

Marcia Smith is president and co-founder of Firelight Media, which produces documentary films, provides artistic and financial support to emerging filmmakers of colour, and builds impact campaigns to connect documentaries to audiences and social justice advocates. Under her leadership, Firelight Media was honoured with a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Firelight Media’s flagship Documentary Lab programme has supported more than 80 emerging filmmakers over the past decade, who have premiered at festivals such as Sundance, and gone on to earn numerous festival, Peabody and Emmy awards.

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

Have you ever wondered why it’s the producer and not the director who gets the “best film” award at the Academy Awards? It’s because the producer is the person who takes the film from idea to screen. “Film producing 101” is a two-part masterclass in which participants will learn about the four key skills they will need to succeed in the industry: creative development; hands-on producing; finance and business affairs; and distribution/sales. This course is intended to give first-time and emerging producers a thorough introduction to producing, as well as share case studies to help guide their own paths to financing, making and distributing films.

logistics

Presented in partnership with the US Embassy Port of Spain

about Stanley Nelson Jr.

Stanley Nelson Jr is today’s leading documentarian of the African-American experience. His films combine compelling narratives with rich historical detail to illuminate the under-explored American past. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Nelson has received numerous honours over the course of his career, including five Primetime Emmy Awards for his films, as well as lifetime achievement awards from the Emmys, the Peabodys, and IDA. In 2013, Nelson received the National Medal in the Humanities from President Barack Obama. His latest film, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, premiered at Sundance in January 2019.

In 2000, Mr Nelson, along with his wife, Marcia A. Smith, founded Firelight Media, a non-profit production company dedicated to using historical film to advance contemporary social justice causes, and to mentoring, inspiring and training a new generation of diverse young filmmakers committed to telling underrepresented stories.