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An uplifting documentary

Published: 
Friday, September 21, 2012

 

The Bastard Sings the Sweetest Song must be a very strong contender for the TTFF’s Best Documentary award this year. Filmed in Guyana, it captures the universal human experience from the particularly poignant West Indian perspective. In the story of the relationship of an adult son, Muscle, in his early forties, and his ageing mother, Mary, in her mid-70s, the relationship of the powerful to the powerless, is entirely revealed—but the West Indian twist is added by the revelation of the limited real power of the relatively powerful son. The best he can do to prevent his mother from wandering into the city street to beg drinking money from strangers, is to lock her in her own room, like the fighting cocks similarly penned under-the-house. The heartache it brings him to lock up his own mother is plain; the portrayal of the plight of the mother, if not forcibly restrained, is equally plainly shown.
 
The documentary almost comes across as narrative fiction when it depicts Muscle’s attempts to break into the middle class, his great hope of lessening the hurt and the painful memories his mother and family live and struggle with every day. “Poverty,” he says, at one point, blinking back tears, “leads to a lot of abuse.” This is a heartbreaking documentary that tests the spirit of the viewer to the extreme before it ultimately lifts it. The bastard of the title is not the son—at least not necessarily—but the local Guyanese name for a bird which whistles, beautifully, in its cage. By a praiseworthy bit of programming, another strong documentary set in Guyana, Journey to Hope, follows at the same venue immediately after.
 
Best of the rest:
The Lost Manuscript, 11 am MovieTowne POS; 
Journey to Hope, 5.30 pm Little Carib Theatre; 
Trusting Rain, Nothing Like Chocolate, 1.30 pm Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Films start promptly at advertised times.
 
Here is a listing of today’s T&T Film Festival selections
10 am
The Carlton Savannah
 
Filmmakers’ Panel and Press Conference; How to Make a Kick-Ass Short Film on Your Cell Phone
Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Toussaint L’Ouverture Pt. 1: Philipe Niang, 2012, France/ 90’
 
11.30 am
Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Toussaint L’Ouverture Pt. 1: Philipe Niang, 2012, France/ 90’
 
1 pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
By My Side: Jean-Cosme Delaloye, 2012, Nicaragua / USA / 96’
 
1.30 pm
Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Trusting Rain: Kristin Alexander, 2012, Bermuda/ 27’
Nothing Like Chocolate: Kum-Kum Bhavnani, 2012, Grenada / US / 67’
Q+A session, director present
 
3 pm
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
Tradition: Margaret Lawrence 2012, Guyana / 12’
The Bastard Sings the Sweetest Song: Christy Garland, 2012, Canada / 71’
 
3.30 pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
The Lost Manuscript: Jose Barahona, 2010, Brazil / Portugal / 79’
 
Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Awa Brak: Juan Francisco Pardo, Ryan Oduber, 2012, Aruba / 10’
Curacao: Sander Snoep, Sarah Vos, 2010, Curaçao / The Netherlands / 75’
 
5 pm
Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Stone Street: Elspeth Kydd, 2012, TT / UK/ 72’
 
5.30 pm
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
SSSFF winners: 2012, TT / 5’
Journey to Hope: Tania Khalaf, 2012, Guyana / US / 98’
Q+A session, director present
 
6.15 pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
Lock and Key: Dana Verde, 2012, US / 10’
Walk a Mile: Marlon Pinder, 2012, TT / 18’
Q+A session, director present
Red, Amber, Green: Christopher Byfield, 2011, Jamaica / 18’
The Cool Boys: Michael Mooleedhar, 2012, TT / 26’
Q+A session, director present
 
7.15 pm
Studiofilmclub, Fernandes Industrial Centre
Man on a Motorcycle: John MacLean, 2009, UK / 11’
Pitch-Black Heist: John MacLean, 2011, UK / 13’
Magic Man: John MacLean, 2008, UK / 4’
Q+A session, director present
Afterparty
 
8 pm
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook Where the Sun Sets: Ryan Latchmansingh, 2012, TT / 31’
Q+A session, director present
Rania: Roberta Marques, 2011, Brazil, 85’
 
8.30 pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
Gravedigger: Gabrielle Blackwood, 2012, Jamaica/ 13’
Juan of the Dead: Alejandro Brugués, 2011, Cuba / Spain / 92’
Entertainment

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