CaribbeanTales 2012 Film Festival has released its screening programme from April 10-15, 2012, which confirms its importance as the leading and most diverse annual Caribbean film festival in the region.
The third edition of the CaribbeanTales Film Festival in Barbados will include the Official Selection of nine Caribbean feature films that will be in competition for the festival’s Audience Award, and more than 20 Caribbean short films, originating from countries and territories, including: Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Columbia, French Guyana, Guyana, Jamaica, UK, USA, St. Lucia, St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands) and Trinidad & Tobago.
Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of the CaribbeanTales Group, explains that “In order to give a taste of the truly diverse and wide-ranging scope of pictures being made now, we are screening films with a variety of themes and have included productions from the Dutch, English, French and Spanish speaking Caribbean, as well as North America and Europe.”
The Opening Gala Sing Your Song, is the inspiring biographical documentary that surveys the life and times of singer-actor-activist Harry Belafonte. Belafonte’s groundbreaking career personifies the American civil rights movement and impacted many other social-justice movements. Belafonte is a tenacious hands-on activist, who worked intimately with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., mobilized celebrities for social justice, participated in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and took action to counter gang violence and the incarceration of youth. An indomitable sense of optimism motivates his path even today.
The CaribbeanTales Film Festival @ Island Inn will also see the Barbados première of four other feature films, including: Better Mus’ Come (2011), a compelling recreation of the Green Bay Massacre in Jamaica during the 1970’s. This movie was called “a landmark in Caribbean film making” by Toronto International Film Festival Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. Directed by Jamaican filmmaker Storm Saulter, the screeningis produced in partnership with Olympus Theatres and will be the Closing Night offering on April 15th.
Chance (2011) from LA based Evan Kaufman (St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands), is the charming story of Darnell a young photographer who sells his soul in an attempt to save his ailing mother.
La Hija Natural (Love Child – 2011) the much celebrated award-winning film from Leticia Tonos (Dominican Republic) was selected by its country for submission to the Academy Awards in the Foreign Language category.
Orpailleur (Gold digger – 2009), a rich and surprising movie from French Guyane’s Marc Barrat, is the gripping story of a brother’s search for his sibling in the Amazonian forest. This film has been making waves and winning accolades around the region.
Little Boy Blue (2012) – the feature film debut of talented Trinidadian writer/director/cinematographer/editor/composer Nicholas Attin, will premier at CT2012 as part of the First Cut series. In this new program selected first time narrative directors have an opportunity to receive expert direction from a panel, in order to prepare their films for the international marketplace
The Coming of Org (2012) by St Lucian Filmmaker Davina Lee – is based on a script written by the filmmakers’ father, well known writer John Lee. “Org” is the second in CaribbeanTales First Cut series and will also be featured at the Cannes Short Film Market next month.
A number of Barbadian filmmakers, emerging and established, will be profiled throughout the festival including: Menelik Shabazz, Alison Saunders, Penelope Hynam, Andrew Jemmot, Nicholas King Douglas Newton, Liesje Cole Pragnell.
Last but not least, the CaribbeanTales Film Festival @ Island Inn is proud to showcase a number of winning short films from the CTA Agriculture & Science Film & Video Competition 2011 which will be screened at the George Washington House on Tuesday April 10th at 5.00 pm.
The festival is especially proud to welcome all the directors mentioned above as well as several others, who will be in attendance at their screenings and available to articipate in Talkbacks after.