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
Giraffes (Kiki Alvarez/2013/Cuba/Drama/93 mins/Spanish with English subtitles/For ages 16+) 8.30 pm MovieTowne Port-of-Spain Q+A.
Giraffes is not for everyone but, for the people it's for, it'll be hard to find a better film this Festival; it's kind of like an art film, except with bodily secretions. From the opening scene, dominated by one of the most captivating shots in the Festival, if not all cinema � there are only a handful of objects deserving of being held in extreme close up for that many long seconds � the stage is set for what turns out to be a tense, provocative relationship drama.
With a couple seeking to take over the house occupied by a young woman that none of them can properly legally claim, the film begins in murky territory. Add what some might call an unnatural togetherness foisted by the situation and there is a great deal of satisfaction in the story itself, for those who do not have to be spoon-fed; and there is a great deal of palpable sexual tension throughout. A very strong film that remains erotic rather than titillating; said opening scene notwithstanding.
Best of the rest:
Cows Wearing Glasses, Glass Bottom Boat, 3.30 pm, The Intervention, 6 pm, MovieTowne PoS; Behaviour, 5.30 pm, *The Lunchbox, 8 pm MovieTowne, Tobago.
Films start promptly at advertised times.
* Starred films have been or will be picked as daily selections
�2 Guardian Media Ltd is an official partner of the T&T Film Festival.
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Today's films at the T&T Film Festival:
MovieTowne, PoS
10.30 am
Broken Ceilings: Yanillys P�rez, 2014, DR / Narrative Short / 17 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / PG
Amazing Catfish, The: Claudia Sainte-Luce, 2013, Mexico / Narrative feature / 89 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / PG
1 pm
Keeping up with the Joneses: Rommel Hall, 2014, Barbados / Narrative / 111 mins / English / PG
3.30 pm
Glass Bottom Boat: Kyle Walcott, 2014, T&T / Documentary Short / 15 mins / English / GA
Cows Wearing Glasses: Alex Santiago P�rez, 2014, Puerto Rico / Narrative / 93 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / PG
6 pm
The Intervention: Kimberly Huie, 2013, Canada / Narrative Short / 5 mins / English / GA
May in the Summer: Cherien Dabis, 2013, USA, Jordan, Qatar / Narrative feature / 100 mins / English, Arabic, with English subtitles / 14+
8.30 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
The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
5.30 pm
The Big House: Juliette Touin, 2013, Cuba / Documentary Short / 24 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / GA
Blanco: Melvin Dur�n, 2014, Dominican Republic / Documentary / 62 mins/ Spanish, English subtitles / GA
8 pm
Field Notes: Vashti Harrison, 2014, T&T, USA / Documentary Short / 18 mins / English / PG
An Oversimplification of Her Beauty: Terence Nance, 2013, USA / Experimental feature / 95 mins / English / 16+
MovieTowne Tobago
11 am
Entre Deux: Nadia Charlery, 2013, Martinique / Narrative Short / 8 mins / PG13
Creole Soup: Karine Gama, 2013, Guadeloupe / Narrative Short / 15 mins / French, English subtitles / GA
Project 40: Nadia Charlery, Maharaki, Teddy Albert, Khris Burton,Christian Foret, Olivier Ozier Lafontaine, Patrice Le Namouric, Vianney Sot�s, 2014, Martinique / Medium-length narrative / 35 mins / French, English subtitles / PG13
3 pm
Secondary Schools Short Film Festival Selections
5.30 pm
Behaviour: Ernesto Daranas Serrano, 2014, Cuba / Narrative / 100 mins / Spanish, English subtitles / 14+
8 pm
The Lunchbox: Ritesh Batra, 2013, India / Narrative feature / 104 mins / Hindi, English, English subtitles / PG
Hyatt Regency
9 am to 4.30pm
Panels and presentations
Drink Bistro and Lounge
5 pm
Filmmakers' Panel
Medulla Art Gallery, Woodbrook
12 pm to 6 pm
New Media Exhibition