God Loves The Fighter– Trinidad and Tobago Film Sold Out at TTFF

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Of all the films of which were exhibited and in competition during the ‘hotter’ Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, God Loves The Fighter was, without a doubt the hottest ticket in town. Produced by the team of Alexa Bailey and Director Damian Marcano, God Loves The Fighter tells a different side of the tourism-driven ideal in Trinidad and Tobago. The movie is gritty and stark and follows the lives of inhabitants of the island Capital of Port of Spain and depicts how different decisions can lead to better lives or to unexpected turns for the worse.

The film was entirely produced and filmed in Trinidad, with an all-local cast of actors. At each of the screenings there was an overwhelming response. Masses of audience members rushed for tickets and stood in lines for hours before the film for first come first served seating. The demand to see the film was so great, that an additional screening was opened at the Movie Towne Multi-screen cinema venue. A second screening room also had to be opened for the free University of the West Indies (UWI) showing to accommodate the crowds of students and general public gathered outside the UWI Film Building seeking a chance to view this ground-breaking film.

Muhammad Muwakil one of the actors from the film God Loves The Fighter

 

At the festival, the film took the Jury award and cash prize for the Best local feature film and also won the coveted People’s Choice Award. The vocal and sometimes controversial responses of the cinema patrons after the film in the official question and answer sessions also gained a certain level of notoriety. While the film was praised for its technical and cinematographic quality, questions on ethnicity, political implications and also the validity of “the truth” shown in the scenarios of the film were raised. Marcano and other members of the cast, who attended most of the screenings, were often called upon to defend some of the approaches to the story and also were praised by audience members for the “realness” of the dialogue. Marcano was also commended for his success achieved in directing local acting talent. As the demand for opportunities to see this film continues, members of the public who missed the Festival continue to request more chances to see this film. The producers have confirmed that there will be more screenings after Carnival in 2014 for the film’s official nation-wide release.

Jaleel Waithe one of the youngest actors in the film God Loves The Fighter

 

 

As the buzz on God Loves The Fighter continues into 2014, the Bailey and Marcano team are looking forward to begin production on their second feature film entitled, “A Chance of Rain In Cleveland”. This film has nothing to do with the City in Ohio, USA, but is a story of hope and perseverance about two brothers who escape their abusive uncle for a better chance in the big city of Port of Spain.  According to Marcano "I am a filmmaker dedicated to the advancement of Caribbean cinema and I feel that "A Chance of Rain in Cleveland" would be a great stepping-stone. My intention is to create a family friendly film with a PG-13 rating to maximize the audience potential." The upcoming film has the support of Susanne Bohnet of Serafini Pictures a US based finance and Production Company in Los Angeles California who will serve as the executive producer for the film. For more information and updates on God Loves The Fighter visit www.godlovesthefighter.com or on Facebook.com, search: God Loves The Fighter.

 

Photo & Video Credit : Aaron Richards

 

Copyright 2013 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..

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Film: Half of a Yellow Sun to Premiere at Trinidad+Tobago Film Festival 2013

Monday, July 29, 2013

The film Half of a Yellow Sun, starring Thandie Newton and Chiwetel Ejiofor, based on the award-winning novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, will open the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) 2013. The opening night gala takes place at Queen’s Hall on 17 September, and will kick off the two-week Festival, which runs until 01 October.

The screening of Half of a Yellow Sun as the ttff/13’s opening night selection will mark the film’s Caribbean premiere. It will also be only the second time audiences will get to see the film, after its world premiere a few weeks prior at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

 Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton

Half of a Yellow Sun is set in 1960s Nigeria; the story brings audiences into a country torn apart by civil war and shows how the interwoven lives of four central characters intersect during a struggle to establish the independent republic of Biafra.

The film boasts an impressive supporting cast that includes Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, The Princess and the Frog), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Joseph Mawle (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Awakening, Game of Thrones), Genevieve Nnaji, and Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu.

Directed by acclaimed Nigerian playwright Biyi Bandele, Half of a Yellow Sun is a product of “Nollywood” — the moniker bestowed on Nigeria’s booming film industry that produces over 2,000 movies a year and has become the third most valuable movie industry in the world behind only Hollywood and Bollywood. Half of a Yellow Sun is the country’s most ambitious and most expensive film to date, with a budget of N$1.27 billion (approximately US$8 million).

Produced by Bafta award-winner Andrea Calderwood (The Last King of Scotland) and Gail Ega (The Constant Gardner), the film is a British/Nigerian co-production and was shot at Tinapa Film Studio in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom.

“It’s a real honour to have Half of a Yellow Sun invited to be the opening night film of the trinidad+ tobago film festival,” said Calderwood, who will attend the opening. “The Festival has always been great supporters of this project, and as a groundbreaking film from top Nigerian talent telling this epic story on an international scale, this is the perfect way to introduce it to audiences in the Caribbean as we take the film out to the world.”

“We are proud that Half of a Yellow Sun will open the Festival,” added Bruce Paddington, Founder and Festival Director, ttff. “This continues our mandate to not only show films from the Caribbean and the diaspora but to also celebrate films made in Africa, one of our heritage countries.”

 

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Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival (ttff) now seeking Applicants.

Monday, March 25, 2013

 

The call for submissions for the 2013 edition of the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), which takes place from September 18 to October 1st, is now open.

The ttff seeks to highlight excellence in filmmaking through the exhibition of dramatic, documentary and experimental feature and short films made in T&T, the Caribbean and its diaspora. The Festival therefore accepts submissions from Caribbean filmmakers, Caribbean filmmakers in the diaspora, and international filmmakers with films from or about the Caribbean or its diaspora. Submissions must have been produced after 01 January, 2011.

The Festival screens short films (under 60 minutes) and features (60 minutes and over) in digital, Blu-ray and 35mm formats. The festival also screens music videos of any length.

Films screened in competition are eligible for one or several of the following jury prizes: best narrative feature film (US$4,000); best documentary feature film (US$4,000); best narrative short film (US$1,000); best documentary short film (US$1,000); best T&T narrative feature film (TT$10,000); best T&T documentary feature film (TT$10,000); best T&T narrative short film (TT$5,000); best T&T documentary short film (TT$5,000); and best Caribbean film by an international filmmaker (US$1,000).

There are also four people’s choice awards, for best dramatic feature, best documentary feature, best short film and best music video, each worth TT$5,000.

Apart from its programme of regular screenings, the Festival is also accepting submissions of video art and experimental films. These works will be shown as part of the New Media initiative, which is held in conjunction with ARC Magazine. Artists working in this field who are from the Caribbean and its diaspora, or artists who address these spaces in their work, are eligible to apply. This section is also in competition and comes with a TT$5,000 prize for best film/video.

All submissions must be made online, via www.withoutabox.com, trinidad+tobago film festival.

There is no submission fee.

THE DEADLINE FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS IS 31 MAY 2013. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE STRICTLY FOLLOWED. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT FILMS THAT DO NOT FULFILL THE STATED CRITERIA.

In addition to screening Caribbean and diaspora films in competition, the ttff also has a panorama (non-competitive) section featuring films from around the world. However, the Festival only accepts submissions from Caribbean filmmakers, Caribbean filmmakers in the diaspora, and international filmmakers with films from or about the Caribbean or its diaspora.

The ttff seeks to make all screenings at the Festival T&T premieres. Occasionally, however, the Festival considers films that have already been shown publicly in T&T. Please contact us directly if you have a film that falls into this category at hello@ttfilmfestival.com or 621-0709.

The ttff reserves the right to determine the eligibility of the submissions to be screened at the Festival, the appropriate venues and time slots for the screening of films, and to use excerpts of the films for publicity purposes. All films submitted must have applicable clearances and the Festival will not be held liable.

The Festival, which is in its eighth year, is presented by Flow and receives leading sponsorship from RBC Royal Bank, bpTT and the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company Limited. For more information, visit www.ttfilmfestival.com

 

Copyright 2013 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..

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Filmmaker Michael Mooleedhar Takes His Career To The Next Level

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

T&T film maker Michael Mooleedhar

As the 2012 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival draws nearer,  Michael Mooleedhar director of this year’s entry “The Cool Boys” uses the word ‘opportunity’ to describe this region’s budding creative sector. The 27 year old film-maker plans to utilize opportunity to move to the next stage of his career and contribute to the overall elevation of the local/regional film industry.

Armed with a Film Degree from the University of the West Indies (U.W.I), and having done his break through documentary film “Queens of Curepe” (2008), Michael Mooleedhar has collaborated with the likes of Patricia Mohammed on “Coolie Pink and Green” (winning people’s choice award TTFF 2009) and “Seventeen Colours and a Sitar” (2010), Kim Johnson on “The Audacity of The Creole Imagination” (2010) and countless other productions.

 

Often described as a ‘boy wonder’ by many of his contemporaries, Michael is currently stepping up his game by pursuing a M.A. in Creative Design Entrepreneurship at U.W.I and is due to finish in December 2012. He shared, “I’m presently enrolled in this revolutionary program that deals with design and the business of creative products. I wanted to go back to school to learn about the business side of my industry as I realized how much of an artist I was becoming and how much of the business aspects and needs for my chosen craft I had been overlooking”.

 

 

Michael affirms that the film industry in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean is a wide open field of opportunity for the innovative and creative willing to take on the challenge of an industry in its early stages of development. “I would really like to see The Caribbean producing more feature films especially now as technology allows for cheaper production costs and I believe a country as culturally rich as T&T should be producing at least 2 feature films a year.

 

 

In addition to touring and having his previous film projects screened and sold around the world in countries such as India and Canada, Michael recently directed a TV cooking series for CNC 3 entitled ‘Christmas Cooking with Khalid’ which featured renowned chef Khalid Mohammed.

However, he admits that his latest undertaking ‘The Cool Boys’ was his greatest test and learning experience to date. “It was my first time directing actors on such a large set and with a budget. I took on the challenge and believe it was a critical experience in my career to get me to the next level of filmmaking”.

 

 

The Cool Boys which was written for a Production Call that was put on by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company reflects many real experiences and characters from Mooleedhar’s own life. Mooleedhar shared, “Film is the genius art form; the universe has to conspire with you to create the film you want to make. When sound and visuals work perfectly together magic takes place”.

He views the working relationship between Patricia Mohammed and himself as one that has contributed immensely to building the regional film industry. He divulged that they both presently are at work on future projects and have plans to make feature films and to form a formal brand to represent all of their productions.

 

 

He further stated, “As a film maker my team and I are truly thankful for the support from The Trinidad and Tobago Film Company who funded The Cool Boys. We fully appreciate the cooperation of family, friends, corporate entities as well as the encouragement fellow practitioners, critiques and fans.

 

 

As an artiste, a visionary and a young entrepreneur, Michael Mooleedhar has big dreams for himself and the industry and is working hard towards making them become a reality.

 

The Cool Boys will show during the 2012 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival on the following dates:

• Fri 21 Sept, 6.15pm, MovieTowne POS, Q&A
• Mon 24 Sept, 3.30pm, UWI, Centre for Language Learning
• Mon 01 Oct, 6.30pm, MovieTowne POS
• Mon 01 Oct, 6.00pm, MovieTowne Tobago

 

Follow Michael Mooleedhar on Twitter via @Mooleedhar and follow “The Cool Boys” on Facebook

 

 

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“The Cool Boys” to debuts at T&T Film Festival 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

The Cool Boys

In a region such as the Caribbean where film making is considered by many as a burgeoning art form, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (which will take place from September 19th to October 2nd 2012) has become an annual grand stage for practitioners to display their works. For this year’s staging, one particular film, “The Cool Boys”, directed by Michael Mooleedhar has been highly anticipated as it delves into topics pertinent to the experience of young males in Trinidad.

The Cool Boys is a 26 minute short film established around a flow of events that involve 3 teenaged young men. The main protagonist Alpha, one of the 3, has just turned 18 and finds himself in trouble. He is called upon to make an ethical decision that itself challenges the conventional definitions of being cool.

The new film features prominent T&T entertainers such as Sean Padmore, of the local hip hop group Nebula 868 who plays the lead role of Alpha and Soca star Olatunji Yearwood who dons the character of Wes, alongside a cast of talented thespians which include Aria Geiser, Pauline Mark, Danielle Ryan, Jeanine Lee Kim, Bradley “Young Stunner” Caesar, Anthony Lawrence, Kevin Nathaniel and Carlos Quashe.

The 3 cool boys in character-From left- Dom, Alpha and Wes

The Cool Boys which will make its debut at the 2012 T&T Film Festival was awarded funding from the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company. This unique production raises crucial questions about the contemporary ways in which young Caribbean men work through issues of masculinity and how they learn to become men such as: What boundaries and limits has Trinidad constructed in erecting the definitions of masculinity? Will the right decision be made?

After the success of their previous film collaborations such as “Coolie Pink and Green” and “Seventeen Colours and a Sitar”, director of The Cool Boys Michael Mooleedhar has once again teamed up with Professor Pat Mohammed (who serves as the film’s producer) with Franklyn St. Juste as director of photography on this latest project.

Shot in the month of December 2010, The Cool Boys captures an indigenous reality for viewers via the popular locations used in its filming e.g. West Mall, Movie Towne, The Lady Young Road look out, Club Alchemy, Belmont, Diamond Vale, etc.

According to Mooleedhar, not only is the script humorous, entertaining, action-filled and weighted with the dangers of life encounters, it is also designed as a learning tool for all young males, using universal themes which speak to both young masculinity and femininity.

When asked about what will set this film apart from other entries in the upcoming film festival, Mooleedhar shared, “The Cool Boys will stand out because it is a good story, and is truthful to the experience of young males in Trinidad”. He further stated, “All the films we produce are beautiful in their own ways, from the storytelling to the music to cinematography to editing.  

The Cool Boys offers a unique look into Trinidad’s youth culture. The film promises to deliver a serious punch”.

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