Community groups take part in Short Film Festival

Five films produced in the first T&T Community Short Film Festival, hosted by the T&T Film Company (TTFC) and the Division of Culture, Ministry of Arts and MultiCulturalism, were screened on Saturday at the Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook. 

A release from the Film Company said the event was the culmination of months of work by five community groups from North, Central and South Trinidad.

The participants in this, the inaugural festival, were: Caratal Youth Kreations (My Sister’s Keeper); Prizgar Lands/Kelly Village (Illegally Legal), SEPOS Cultural Workshop (Behind ‘D’ Bridge); Bon Bassa Productions (Ma Mas); and San Fernando School of the Arts, Sports and Culture (Another High).

The groups began their film production training in August, 2012, with workshops facilitated by the TTFC. Roger Edwards Barran, Cliff Seedansingh, Che Rodriguez, Stephen Lee Pow, and St Bernard Marcelle, respectively, trained the groups. 

Each group was required to make a five minute film on one of the following topics: The Environment – Making a Cleaner, Better Future; Culture – 50 years of Culture: Preserving the T&T Legacy or My Islands, What it means to be Trinbagonian; and Peace/Social Change/Unity – Fixing T&T. 

The awards for Best Overall Film, Best Script and Best Actress went to My Sister’s Keeper; Best Actor went to Illegally Legal; Best Social Awareness went to Behind ‘D’ Bridge; Best Cultural Awareness went to Ma Mas; and Most Promising Film went to Another High. 

The Community Short Film Festival aims to encourage the production of responsible local content, develop filmmaking competencies and skills among nationals, and promote career opportunities and innovation in the film industry. 

Additionally, the Festival is part of the TTFC’s ongoing effort to improve the accessibility of local film for local audiences, and to develop a sustainable national audio-visual and film industry. 

• For more information on the T&T Film Company please call 625 3456 or visit www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com