The seventh Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival runs until October 2.Guardian columnist, BC Pires, has been writing about film since March 1988. He served on the first TTFF jury in 2009 will pick a Film of the Day for every day of the festival.
TODAY'S?PICK: Journey to Hope
(Tania Khalaf/ 2012/ USA/ Documentary/ English/ 98 mins) 1.30pm MovieTowne Port-of-Spain.
Although its country of origin is the USA (and the first portion of the film following the young American therapists as they begin their own trip is shot there), Journey of Hope is largely filmed in Georgetown, Guyana, in an orphanage run by an unsung Guyanese hero, Kenneth Finlayson. Like the other festival documentary set in Guyana, The Bastard Sings the Sweetest Song, Journey confronts directly complicated social hardships brought about by simple poverty and deprivation. Though the American therapists and their approach to the challenges are the main focus of the film, the real stars of it are the children and the hardworking Guyanese who function without the money and other support so readily available to even shoestring American productions. There is a double irony here in that the American viewer (or, indeed, filmmaker) might be surprised by the suggestion that the Guyanese orphans are often relegated, emotionally, to a backdrop to the American initiative and focus; and there may be a triple irony if that suggestion were to be dismissed as mere complaint. That said, the documentary remains powerful and hopeful and should be watched with an open mind and heart.
Best of the rest
Pothound & other short films, 7pm Mayaro Resource Centre.
Films start promptly at advertised times.
Here is a listing of today's T&T Film Festival selections
11 am
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
The Coming of Org: Davina Lee, 2012, St Lucia / 40 mins
Breaking Barriers: Ricky Manmohan, 2012, TT / 59 mins
Q+A session, directors present
1.30pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
SSSFF winners: 2012, TT / 5 mins
Journey to Hope: Tania Khalaf, 2012, Guyana / US / 98 mins
3 pm
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
The First Rasta: Helene Lee, 2010, France /Jamaica / 90 mins
3.45pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
Forward Home: Lisa Wickham, 2011, TT / 50 mins
Q+A session, directors present
The Merikins: Dahlia Dennison, 2012, TT / 30 mins
Q+A session, directors present
4 pm
Medulla Art Gallery, 37 Fitt Street, Woodbrook
New Media: The Flaneur
5.30pm
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
Tickle Me Rich: Sonja Dumas, 2012, TT / 13 mins
Q+A session, director present
Elza: Mariette Monpierre, 2011, Guadeloupe / 80 mins
6 pm
Medulla Art Gallery, 37 Fitt Street, Woodbrook
Artists' Talk
New Media: The Flaneur
Institute of Critical Thinking, UWI
Presentation: Venezuelan Cinema
6.15pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
Man: Cristian Miranda, 2012, Puerto Rico / 6 mins
La Hija Natural: Leticia Tonos, 2011, Dominican Republic / 97 mins
7 pm
Mayaro Resource Center, Mayaro
Mr Crab: Faisal Lutchmedial, 2011, Canada / 9 mins
A Bess Pelau: Robert MacFarlane, 2012, TT / UK/ 8 mins
Douen: Roger Alexis, 2012, TT / 15 mins
Pothound: Christopher Guinness, 2012, TT / 11 mins
Lock and Key: Dana Verde, 2012, US / 10 mins
Til Death?!: Jeston Lett, 2012, TT / 16 mins
No Soca No Life: Glenford Adams, 2012, TT / 30 mins
8 pm
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
It's A Long Way to the Sea: Jahnu Barua, 1995, India / 106 mins
8.30pm
MovieTowne, Port of Spain
Private Screening