Soca Monarch the movie is coming! Two decades of scintillating performances, public euphoria, backstage controversy and sponsorship challenges are among the fascinating elements to be depicted in the yet to be titled 90-minute feature film. Gregory Fernandez, special adviser to William Munro, executive chairman of Caribbean Prestige Foundation for the Performing Arts (CPF) revealed this in a Sunday Guardian interview. The film which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the outfits signature events-the Digicel International Power Soca Monarch and Play Whe Groovy Soca Monarch Competitions-promises to make public shocking behind the scenes developments which CPF had manage to keep private, so far.
But before the work hits movie theatres, CPF will require an initial estimated $2 million investment for the production which could take at least two years to complete. Fernandez said CPF officials were still dreaming up ideas possible, to get the eventual production right. He said: "We want to take it to the Film Company (of T&T). We believe it has enough elements for success. I think there have been quite a few good films at the (T&T) Film Festival. I have attended some of them and they are quite good. I think its time for us to make our entry into it. There are a lot of stories to be told. There are a lot of stars to be featured in it. Once you have the stars, the public would have an interest. I think it would be able to do well in the cinemas, not only in Trinidad, but across the Caribbean and the diaspora in particular."
He said the soon-to-be recorded work would also serve to accurately chronicle the legacy of the Soca and Groovy monarch brands for generations, in a country where history is often misrepresented. But the project, earmarked to begin this June, might very well take the form of a musical or drama, too. "It might be a docu-drama-musical," said Fernandez, chuckling. "As you know, the show (Soca Monarch) is about music. There has been some drama. We might sing it. There are a lot of things that happened out of the public's eye. There were battles in the earlies with respect to the formation of the show. They were people fighting for the show not to happen. We want to portray some of that. It had battles with ministers and all types of stuff that we would want to portray," said Fernandez.
He added: "Two decades from now, there would be little debate over what happened and the eventual outcome in the life of CPF. In the coming months, said Fernandez, the services of a script writer would be enlisted for the project and casting would begin. Citing the number of international film stars that have been to T&T's Soca Monarch as celebrity commentators, Fernandez said, they might return to play a role. Asked who might play the role of William Munro, Fernandez laughed and said it was too early for that. The idea for a movie, he said, was given life just over a year ago, while conversing with Munro. "We felt that once we hit the 20th anniversary, that would be a good time to do it. Once we find the right team, were are going to sit down with them and discuss the script and then we take it from there."