At a press conference earlier today, Monday September 5 at the National Library Services (NALIS) AV Room, the trinidad+tobago film festival announced the annual event’s return to Movie Towne Port of Spain and a partnership with NALIS for Industry events and outdoor cinema.
ttff/22 will be held from September 22 to 28 with 110 films from the Caribbean and Diaspora and over 27 Industry events including workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions and filmmakers’ networking mixers. This year’s festival theme is “See Yourself.”
Mariel Brown, Interim Executive Director of FILMCO, the organiser of the festival, expressed her joy at the festival being able to physically welcome film makers and film enthusiasts after presenting the festival in virtual form for 2 years due to the pandemic.
Among the films mentioned by ttff programmer Danielle Diefenthaller were three documentaries based on musical icons: King David by Walt Lovelace, where the legend discusses the five songs he considers to be his most career defining; One Hand Don’t Clap by Kavery Dutta Kaul, which focuses on “the vibrant story of calypso and the emergence of soca through the eyes of two legendary artists, Lord Kitchener and Calypso Rose’; and Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes which traces the astonishing story of the roots of reggae music from one of the most legendary studios- Randy’s Studio 17 run by Vincent and Pat Chin.
There will also be a special retrospective honouring Banyan Studios sponsored by the National Gas Company (NGC). In a release, the ttff noted that “This year’s retrospective seeks to recognise and celebrate the pioneering work of Banyan Productions and its founders as germane to the development of our local film and television industry. The retrospective programme will include several events which will take place at NALIS on Hart and Abercromby Streets in Port of Spain. Events include screenings of some of their most important television work; a ttff talk with Dr Bruce Paddington and Christopher Laird; and an exhibition of photos, memorabilia and more at the Rotunda in NALIS.”
This year’s festival will star opening night film Cheese by Damian Marcano, followed by an after party at the Dalai Llama at One Woodbrook Place.
