T&T film fest opens with Marley screening

Marley, the movie that chronicles the life of the late legendary Caribbean entertain Robert Nesta Marley, from Academy-award-winning director Kevin Macdonald, was the cinematic work chosen to usher in this year’s seventh annual T&T Film Festival on September 19. Queen’s Hall in St Ann’s, Port-of-Spain, was the venue for the festival’s red-carpet premiere which brought together movie producers and directors alongside, sponsors’ representatives, diplomats and film buffs. Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment Vasant Bharath told the captive audience to expect crucial incentives for the film sector in the 2012-2013 budget presentation from new finance minister Larry Howai. Meanwhile, Bruce Paddington, founder and festival director, underscored the need for local television stations to support the still emerging local film industry by adding local content to the primetime line-up, but equally as important, ensure that the people with the rights to the movies are paid. This year’s TTFF runs through October 2, showcasing over 120 feature-length and short films—narrative, documentary and experimental—screening at venues across T&T. Education remains a core feature of the festival, so the organisers have again scheduled seminars that include How to Make A Kick Ass Short Film on your Cellphone; The Art of Film Review; and Marketing and Distributing in the Global Market Place to strengthen and refine the reviewing capacity of local journalists and bloggers.