UWI Students Shine at ttff/11

As the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival comes to a close, it is clear that students and alumni from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine  are making a big impression on the local film scene.

Nadissa Haynes’ Pashan of the Froot, which was made for the Film Programme’s second-year documentary course, had the honour of being selected to open the Festival itself. This is the second film by a UWI Film student that has been chosen to open the film festival, the first being Thomas Jemmerson's Queen of the Brands in 2009.

Other works by UWI Film students selected for the Festival included Marian Bradshaw’s La Parranda, Mandisa Pantin’s Shushed, Social Injustice by Kivonne Ramsawak and Zahra Gibbons, Lynnessa Parks’ Losing My Religion and Renee Pollonais’ Sweet Fries. Film Programme alumni Christopher Din Chong and Mikkell Khan had their debut feature 3 Line selected for the Festival. Rooted in Dreams, a documentary about the University itself, which was co-directed by alumna Francesca Hawkins, was also featured.  Many of the works of students and alumni were shown on campus as parts of the UWI Film Festival, which ran simultaneously with the larger Festival.

The festival’s honours and awards were handed out on Sunday, October 2 and a number of UWI students walked away with top prizes. The Jury Prize for Best Local Short Film was awarded to Renee Pollonais for her film Sweet Fries. Sweet Fries was also awarded the Jury Prize for Best Local Actress, for its star (and DCFA Student) Dionese Sylvester. Natalie Wei, an MPhil student in Gender and Development Studies won the People's Choice Award for Best Short Film for her film Chinee Girl. Also, Francesca Hawkins received the inaugural BPTT Graduate Film Development Award for her outstanding contribution to local film culture.

Commenting on the performances of UWI students at the Festival, Dr. Christopher Meir, the director of the UWI Film Programme said, “We in the UWI Film Programme are extremely happy and proud to see our students and alumni making such great contributions to the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival. Given the talent on display in this year's Festival and the performance of students' work in recent years at regional and international festivals, we are confident that UWI students and alumni will help to lead the way forward for local and regional film culture.”

"Green Screen" Environment Film Series

Sustain T&T is hosting an Environmental Film Series entitled "GREEN SCREEN" from October 7 - 18, 2011.

Click on Brouchure below to see the Schedule.

Final Screening of 'Festival of Lights' at ttff/11

Festival of Lights, a movie set in Guyana and the US, will have its final screening at the trinidad+tobago film festival/11 this Saturday.

DATE: Saturday 1st October 2011
TIME: 7.00 PM
VENUE: The Little Carib Theatre

The director, Shundell Prasad, will be present.

 

STAN ARTICLE (April - July 2011) - An Oasis of Ideas

Prof. Patricia Mohammed in association with past film student, Francesca Hawkins team up to produce Rooted in Dreams, which was screened during the 2011 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.

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STAN ARTICLE (April - July 2011) - Haiti: Picking Up the Pieces

Check out Yao Ramesar's article on his experience in Haiti...






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STAN ARTICLE (April - July 2011) - Kristal Le Blanc

One of our 2010/2011 Introduction to Photography students is featured in the latest UWI STAN Magazine.

Click to Read Article

VENUE CHANGE

All screenings at 12 Carmody Street, St. Augustine have been relocated to the Arcon II Parking Lot, School of Education!

We apologize for any inconvenience!

Check our schedule for show times and venues!







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College Student's Guide to the Film Festival!!

The Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival is back in full swing as of September 21^st. The list of films look enticing this year and if I could I would attend all the screenings. Unfortunately, as a college student I need to pick my battles wisely. Therefore, I scanned through the program for all the free screenings. As luck would have it, all the screenings on UWI campus are free. And they say there is no God.

Being the good citizen that I am, it is only right for me to pass on this valuable bit of information. The most intriguing film so far is Christopher Browne’s Ghett’a Life. It has already been credited as the winner of the Hartley-Merril International Screenwriting Competition from Cannes Film Festival in 2006. It also received a standing ovation for its Toronto debut. If there is any film to see during the festival, it is this one. Ghett’a Life will be showing at 12 Carmody Street on Friday, September 23 at 6:30pm.

There is an added bonus for the UWI Film Festival and Ghett’a Life fans. There will be a writing and directing workshop featuring Chris Browne on Saturday September 24 from 9am -3pm. Although, the workshop costs $200, there is no doubt in my mind that it is worth it.

Another Jamaican film that is a must-see is Miquel Galofre’s Hit Me With Music. For those of you who don’t follow the festival, Galofre is a Spanish director who is responsible for Why do Jamaicans Run So Fast? This time, Galofre takes a look at dancehall culture exploring the romantic nature of the culture as well as its heartbreaking qualities. With absolutely stunning cinematography, I think that this is a definite must-see. Hit Me With Music will be showing at the Institute for Critical Thinking on Friday September 23 at 4:30pm.

It definitely would not be the UWI Film Festival if there were no films from our UWI students. On September 24 at 6pm on Carmody Street, the documentaries produced by UWI’s finest will be premiering. These include the hilarious mocumentary by Nadissa Haynes Pashan of the Froot, Losing My Religion by Lynnessa Parkes, the thought provoking Social Injustice by Kivonne Ramsewak and Zahra Gibbons and Marian Bradshaw’s La Parranda , which explores the dying tradition of parang music in Trinidad and Tobago.

For those who can stand the heartbreak, Fire in Babylon is a celebration of the West Indian cricket in its glory days. The documentary shows the greatest team on earth throughout all their trials and tribulations. Fire in Babylon will be showing on Friday September 30 at the Institute for Critical Thinking at 6pm.

The final day of the UWI Film Festival is Saturday October 1 at the Centre of Language Learning. It features feature films from throughout the region. From Boleto en Paraiso from Cuba, Sonny Boy from Surinam, Aliker from Martinique as well as films from India, Kavi and Vanaja, this is the most multicultural day of the festival. So I guess I’ll see you there because let’s face it, with the State of Emergency you probably have nothing better to do. J

Check that Headline - Bragging Rights!

We just wanted to brag that one of our current year 3 student's film will be used to open the TT Film Festival!




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You can see 'Pashan of the Froot', along with other student and staff members films at the 2011 UWI Film Festival on Republic Day.


DATE: Saturday 24th September 2011
TIME: 6.00 pm
VENUE: 12 Carmody Street, St. Augustine


Click here for more UWI Film Festival information

ttff/11 film nominated for 2012 Academy Awards!

The TTFF announced that the period drama Sonny Boy, a ttff/11 selection, has been chosen as the official entry from the Netherlands for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2012 Academy Awards!

Check out the Synopsis and the Trailer!

Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival Launch

The highly anticipated launch of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival was held at the Carlton Hotel yesterday. It was an intimate affair consisting of the press, the organizers of the festival as well as sponsors. This year’s annual event may prove to be the most exciting yet. The year the festival has expanded to include the Immersion: Focus Competition, which four UWI film students are involved in. Also, making an appearance is the widely renowned Jamaican singer Harry Belafonte who will be receiving a Lifetime Achievement for his contribution to Caribbean film. The festival will also be issuing Pioneer Awards to honor those who have paved the way for a film industry in Trinidad and Tobago. The festival is also easing the current State of Emergency with its “Keep Calm and Watch Films” campaign, which include weekly limes as well as the Curfew Cinema project.

The festival will consist of community screenings, UWI screenings as well as Movietowne and Little Carib. The festival starts on the September 21, 2011 and lasts until October 4, 2011

Festival Guide

The TT Film Festival will be hosting some Workshops and Panel Discussions!  I am sure that they will be of significant interest to you!

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You're in Focus!

Hey all - the Trinidad and Tobago film festival is coming up soon!  We are having screenings on campus and you all are invited!

Updated Schedule:

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The film screenings are free of charge!

UWI Film Programme

Welcome Students to the new academic year!

 What are your goals for this new year?