The ninth T&T Film Festival runs from September 16 - 30.
Guardian columnist BC Pires served on the first TTFF jury in 2009 and wrote the jury's report. BC will pick a Film of the Day for every day of the festival. Non-linear, essentially visual or special-interest films not intended for the Vin Diesel crowd will be designated as "art films." Films may be chosen ahead of other, perhaps "better," films if the director (or other filmmaker) is present for a Q&A session after the screening.
Today's choice is
Dubois (Kaz Ov�/ 2014/ T&T/ Short Drama/ 31 mins/ English / Ages 16 and over) 6 pm MovieTowne PoS. Q&A.
You've got to have real cojones–and real chops– if, as Bob Dylan's son, you tell yourself you're going to write some songs. Better by far to design a skirt or two, like Stella McCartney, than pick up a guitar. Kaz Ov�, then, son of Horace, the Guinness Book of Records-recognised maker of Pressure, the first black feature-length British film, might have been forgiven for trying out for the West Indies cricket team; even more so when you understand his other parent happens to be TTFF programme director Annabelle Alcazar. Luckily, the boy tried his father's gig first and, on the evidence of his second short (and first festival film), the talent has not skipped a generation.
From the opening, in which the sound design by itself declares both the film's territory and its maker's competence, the viewer is in the hands of a master. Ov� handles deftly subject matter an established filmmaker might stumble over, including the creation of huge atmosphere from a minuscule budget. Taking a disposable human character–a "dutty" Port-of-Spain vagrant (played beautifully by Eamon Walker)–as its male lead opposite a physically stunning female lead (played, naturally, by Ov�'s sister, Indra) into metaphysical realms dealing with tragic loss, trust and interconnectedness–and doing so in its stride–this is fine filmmaking and highly rewarding viewing.
It is also a precise snapshot of contemporary Port-of-Spain, with its imitation-Starbucks, actual Mickey D's and the lavish backdrop of hypocrisy that allows villains to present themselves as heroes. (Take a bow, Michael Cherrie.)
Best of the rest:
*Giraffes, 8pm Little Carib Theatre;
Keeping Up with the Joneses, 1.30pm Little Carib Theatre.
Films start promptly at advertised times.
*Starred films have been or will be picked as daily selections.
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Today's TTFF schedule:
MovieTowne, PoS
11 am
The World of Goopi and Bagha: Shilpa Ranade, 2013, India / Animated feature / 78 mins / Hindi, English subtitles / GA
1 pm
Bullock: Carlos Machado Quintela, 2014, Cuba / Narrative Short / 18 mins / No dialogue / 14+
Haiti Bride: Robert Yao Ramesar, 2014, T&T, Haiti / Narrative / 65 mins / Haitian, English, English subtitles / PG
3.30 pm
The Cat's Death: Lilo Vilaplana, 2014, Cuba, Colombia / Narrative Short / 27 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / 16+
All About the Feathers: Neto Villalobos, 2013, Costa Rica / Narrative feature / 85 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / PG13
6.15 pm
Dubois: Kaz Ov�, 2014, T&T,UK / Medium-length narrative / 31 mins / English / 16+
Five Star: Keith Miller, 2014, USA / Narrative feature / 83 mins / English / 16+
8.45 pm
Siddharth: Richie Mehta, 2013, Canada, India / Narrative feature / 96 mins / Hindi, English subtitles / PG
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
1.30 pm
Keeping up with the Joneses: Rommel Hall, 2014, Barbados / Narrative / 111 mins / English / PG
3.30 pm
The Absent House: Rub�n Abru�a, 2013, Puerto Rico / Documentary / 55 mins / English,Spanish, English subtitles / GA /
5.30 pm
Black Radical Imagination: Various, 2014, USA / Experimental / 73 mins / English
8 pm
The Tide: Adam Breier, 2013, Cuba / Narrative Short / 16 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / 16+
Giraffes: Kiki �lvarez, 2013, Cuba / Narrative / 93 mins / Spanish, English subtitles
UWI
10 am - 3 pm
Documentary masterclass
UTT
10 am - 4 pm
Acting Workshop
Hyatt Regency
9 am - 5 pm
Panels and presentations
Medulla Art Gallery, Woodbrook
12 pm - 6 pm
New Media Exhibition