Film festival to debut next selection—Limbo

Limbo, the debut film by writer and director Maria Sodahl, will be the next selection of the Community Cinergy series of movie screenings, hosted by the T&T Film Festival (TTFF) and bpTT, in association with the Callaloo Company. TTFF editorial director Jonathan Ali said Limbo was a selection of the TTFF last year, and opened the European Film Festival in Port-of-Spain last October. The screening of Limbo will take place at the Callaloo Mas Camp in Chaguaramas on Saturday, beginning with a cocktail reception at 6 pm followed by the screening at 8 pm. It is open to the public. Ali described the film as being a very well crafted production with strong performances by both the local and international cast members. He believes these were the reasons for the film winning the prize for best director at the Montreal Film Festival.

 

 

“Limbo was released in 2010. It is a story of a young Norwegian girl named Sonia (played by Line Verndal) who moves to T&T with her family in the 1970s. On her arrival to Trinidad she discovers her husband who works in the oil industry and had moved to Trinidad before her, was having an affair with a colleague named Lorraine (played by Catherine Emanuel). The discovery causes Sonia to have an emotional breakdown. She eventually finds solace in the housekeeper, Ricardo, with whom she becomes intimate even after finding out his sexual orientation,” explained Ali. He said the film was shot on location in T&T and captured the 1970s era by filming the scenes near colonial sites and inside colonial buildings. “The cinematography in this film is excellent. It really showcases the beautiful T&T landscape,” Ali said.

 

 

“The film was shot at various locations. The interiors were shot in a colonial house in St Clair, parts of Belmont and also Mayaro.” Costume designing was done by Bente Ulvik, he said. Asked to describe the significance of the local characters in the film, Ali said he did not want to let too much information out. However, he said the film also touches on the transition from colonialism to independence and what locals faced in the ’70s working for internationally owned companies, even in “hierarchy” positions. This is delivered through local actor Michael Cherrie’s character (Dexter) who plays the role of a manager at the oil industry. Among other local actors in the 105-minute-long film are Patti-Ann Ali, Sonya Moze, Arnold Goindhan and Louris Lee Sing. Limbo was also co-produced by T&T’s actor/film producer, G Anthony Joseph.

 

For more information on Limbo, call the T&T Film Company at 621-0709.