Discoveries from Trinidad & Tobago World Cinema

Amidst the ruins of a coconut plantation in rural Trinidad, Asha, a displaced girl seeking her roots, is drawn to a young fisherman who shares her desire to look beyond.

17 year old Sparkle discovers a free spirited group of Soca dancers at a car show in the bustling streets of downtown Trinidad. Enamored by the glimpse of sisterhood, she uses her wit to convince them to take her under their wing. The women bring Sparkle into a dizzying nightlife of partying, glamour, and money, but as things spiral out of control, Sparkle is forced to make some tough decisions.

A short film following Anthony, a young child from the small, rural town of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. We see him in different moments of his daily life as he interacts with different forms of environmental, familial, and social influences. While Anthony displays contradictory traits of creativity, destruction, rigidity, and tenderness as he interacts with his external and internal worlds, we see a story built from the the multidimensionality of Anthony's layered personality as a young man.

In the heart of the Caribbean, a mother and daughter confront a malevolent curse erasing identities of all the island's women, propelling them on a daring quest to reclaim their rich cultural heritage and triumph over the encroaching darkness.

An intimate portrait of the lives of Delvys and Carlos, siblings who live alone with their elderly mother in a rural part of a small Cuban town. The film portrays a family engulfed in their inner worlds. Between the sacrifices they make out of love for those who are present, and their longing for things that are absent, they struggle to find meaning as they reflect, contemplate, and carry the weight of existence, trying together, to move forward.

Green Days by the River is one of the most best-loved works of Caribbean literature. Written by lauded Trinidadian author Michael Anthony in 1967, the book illuminates the formative years of a boy growing up on the island. This coming of age story has enthralled readers all over the world for decades, and it is now being brought to life . For the first time, this beloved tale will be brought to film screens, introducing a whole new generation to the wonder of a country and a boy on the cusp of great change. This film seeks to break new ground in Caribbean film-making, showcasing the rich talent and boundless promise of our people.

In small-town Trinidad, Dhani is a dissatisfied man in his early 20s. He hangs out at bars with his high rolling friends, but he doesn’t belong. Dhani always leaves the party early so that he can work the nightshift with his feisty mother, Sumintra selling “Doubles” (the famous Trinidadian street-food). The two share the same dream of opening their very own brick-and- mortar restaurant. After getting humiliated by a girl and Sumintra getting robbed at knife point, Dhani has lost his patience. His land-developing friend, Philip, offers hundreds of thousands of dollars for their land. But, it’s Ragbir, Dhani's estranged father, a successful chef in Toronto, who owns the property. Against Sumintra’s wishes, Dhani decides to go to Toronto to confront Ragbir and get the land signed over to them.

"Promises" follows the reflection of a man, thinking of the damage he's done to himself and others, via his mistakes, and is learning to accept... hopefully make better promises.

We went to the fields to find out what they had to say.

Way down the island country side, “Behind God’s Back” as the locals call it; Tired of monotonous village life, Skimma dreams of just seeing something different. But after receiving the news that he has gotten Rebecca pregnant, and his constant complaints about his small village; he embraces a new profession: the village pot supplier. It quickly becomes evident that everyone wants what he's selling -- even local Rastaman Oiris — Skimma is faced with making some money to provide for his new child and keeping his new enterprise out of the reach of the law.

A meditative observation of the poetry present in the world of Pedrito, an elderly man of the mountains and relic of a time that no longer exists, while he comes to an understanding of his physical mortality and becomes aware of his spiritual immortality.

Magonolia is a story of a teen girl with superhuman powers.

The story of Acuna, a warrior of Capernaum. Fallen from grace during the Capernaum civil war. Acuna found herself stranded on the planet V-EN. The story follows her survival in this hostile planet and her memories from the past that will hunt her decision.

A poetic and contemplative journey of harmony between different forms of life that coexist on the earth. This film is a meditation on the effect of time, movement of the human spirit, and passage to new forms of life, through the eyes, ears, and bodies of three elderly land workers living in a small community in the outskirts of Bauta, Cuba.

Consumed by her past, Michelle seeks to avenge her parent's death while dealing with her new found powers. The short films stars Angelia Bissoon as Michelle Hernandez, Maurice George as Conner Lockwood,Sameerah Osborne-Pope as Adira,Joel Anthony Woo Chong as Alvaro Hernandez,Saraswati Ramlogan as Icy,Sydney Ledger as Paralysis,Keyon Byron as Batchack-Man,Luis Freites as David Lockwood,Irod Telesford as Mr A.B.C.

In The Enigma of Harold Sonny Ladoo Richard Fung draws on a 20-year-old archive of video interviews by Trinidadian filmmaker Christopher Laird, a founder of the pioneering Trinidadian film and television production company, Banyan. Laird spoke with Ladoo’s family, Trinidad intimates, and members of the Canadian literary scene who helped advance Ladoo’s career in Toronto. Filmed in Trinidad and Toronto, the film attempts to piece together the puzzle of Ladoo’s complex, often tumultuous life, and his tragic death. Caribbean and Canadian-Caribbean authors Shani Mootoo, Kevin Jared Hosein, Andil Gosine, Ramabai Espinet, and David Chariandy voice Ladoo’s groundbreaking fiction, alongside animated drawings by Trinidadian artist Adam Williams.

A profile of the West Indian cricketer Learie Constantine, showing him at work as a welfare officer in Liverpool and on the cricket field.

Set in Trinidad and Tobago, Sol and Isla share a secret romance hidden from Isla’s strict father. When he discovers a photo, Isla is shamed and sent away to protect the family’s reputation. Months later, separated but longing, Isla makes a call that could change everything.

Colonial recruits from Trinidad meet the Lord Mayor of London during WWI.

A man goes in search of something mysterious in the Trinidadian mangroves, unraveling a supernatural world as he races back to safety, before the sun sets.

After the death of her matriarchal grandmother, Amelia finds herself unravelling. Burdened by strained relationships and mounting responsibilities, she makes a desperate attempt to regain control. But someone—or something—is watching. As eerie events unfold in haunting black and white, Amelia is drawn into a chilling legacy of unspoken truths and otherworldly forces in the classic tradition of eras past, in this unearthed tale of terror.

After the Moors destroyed her sector and left her for dead, Tamia, found by Commander Lucinda, eventually became the first Capernaum super solider that would go on a special mission which can end the war. On her journey she will receive a series of flash backs from the day her family were killed and eventually confront the being that was responsible.

A night at sea leaves pregnant Tangelo traumatized, after a pirate attack. She retreats to a remote island to protect her only child - but 18 years later, she is forced the monsters that tore her world apart.

Passing Through is a snapshot of a family's holiday gathering in Trinidad and Tobago that invites the viewer into warm celebration and the rituals of food, cards and music. An ephemeral travelogue of moments that records a journey home using photography, haiku and prose revealing togetherness in a mother's hands, toes in sand and a dance in dappled sunlight.

Luke Singh struggles to make ends meet working as a fisherman. Unable to provide for his sick grandmother, Luke is presented with an opportunity to make a lot of money, but the decision would come at a great cost.

THE WORLD'S FIRST FRUIT ANIMATION FEATURE FILM. MADE WITH REAL FRUIT! A quirky, animated comedy-drama about a group of real fruit who face an existential crisis when plastic fruit are brought into their space. Much debate and division occur as they attempt to deal with this "problem" resulting in great hilarity and ultimately in a deeper understanding of the fruits' place in the order of things.

Dancing Deities is a documentary short that explores the practices of the Claxton Bay Orisha community in Trinidad. This film is primarily non-narrative in that it uses images to convey the rich musical, rhythmic and mythological aspects of this blend of African and Caribbean culture. Two practitioners do, however, give their perspective on Orisha worship and describe different deities in order to provide the viewer with some background information. But really, the film is a collage of images that portrays modern Orisha ritual practice. This film is valuable both in its positive depiction of this often misunderstood tradition and also in that it is one of the few existing present day visual resources on Orisha in Trinidad.

Trinidad and Tobago is home to over 7,000 asylum-seekers and refugees—including parents who have fled to protect themselves and their children. Set against frank conversations about diversity, Lifted follows the highs and lows experienced by a refugee family as they journey through Port-of-Spain, and encounter a group of Moko Jumbies (stiltwalkers). Lifted, is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Miquel Galofré, produced by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and T&T Rocks, and features interviews with Sticks in De Yard/#1000Mokos.

The invasion of Grenada by US forces in 1983 echoed around the world and put an end to a unique experiment in Caribbean politics. What were the circumstances that led to this extraordinary chain of events? Forward Ever explores the achievements and shortcomings of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada as it attempted to forge a new revolutionary society. The film focuses on the year 1983 and the execution of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and his close colleagues, whose bodies were never recovered. With its multiple perspectives and different narratives, the film explores this key event in the recent history of the Caribbean and raises questions that must be answered. This comprehensive, gripping and revealing documentary tells the story of the Grenada Revolution as never before. The film features extensive unseen footage, as well as old and new interviews with many of the key players of the time including those who admitted to the killing of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.

A snapshot of the interwoven relationships between a group of young people in contemporary Trinidad and Tobago who are all connected in some way. The storyline, focused on two generations of contemporary middle-class Trinidadians, gradually exposes the hopes, secrets, lies and betrayals in the lives of the various characters.

When everything starts spiraling, Dahlia deals with changes in her life, including a big change in her garden

A kaleidoscope of colors and sounds that captures the essence of the 1952 celebration. Examples include famous mas bands—the costumed groups who join the parades—including Carnival designer Harold Sadenah’s Quo Vadis and steelband The Invaders seen dressed in full military regalia.

Three Caribbean siblings are reunited by the death of their eldest brother. Marooned on the family's coastal estate in a period of isolation, they begin talking after years of silence. A tender ode to the radio plays of the director's childhood in the Caribbean of the 1970s.

Kearra Amaya Gopee’s docu-fictional short Ca(r)milla considers the revisionist potential that lies within folkloric myth. For Gopee, myth is a storytelling mechanism teeming with possibility––it’s an oratory approach that invites us to reimagine our histories and rewrite our lineages in the face of coloniality. In Ca(r)milla, Gopee annotates the parable of the soucouyant, a blood-craving, vampiric figure typically rendered as an undesirable older woman in Trinidadian legends. https://thekitchen.org/on-screen/ca-r-milla/

In 2017, Jason Jones, a human rights activist sued the state over colonial-era laws that criminalise sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex. Judgement day is a short documentary that follows emotive events on the day of Justice Devindra Rampersad’s landmark ruling in the legal case, Jason Jones v The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago. April 12, 2018, was D-Day for Jason, the LGBTQIA coalition and the supporters of these laws gather outside the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain to await the judgment.

Hosay Trinidad is an ethnographic film about the observance of Shi'ite Muharram rites on the island of Trinidad.

In the untamed wilderness of Trinidad, evolutionary biologist Dr. Alexa Sadier embarks on a perilous journey to unlock the secrets of adaptation and evolution, guided by an unexpected ally and driven by an unwavering passion for discovery.

Film on Trinidad and Tobago's culture and industry, and its transition from a British colony to an independent nation on the 31st of August 1962.

An elderly man gets mistaken for a taxi driver while on a drive through the busy streets of Port-of-Spain. What follows is a long day of reckoning with memories, friendships and revelations.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to Trinidad and Tobago, causing panic and forcing us into isolation. “Going Knowhere” is an experimental record of this time that references the diary I kept and footage collected from my home. It is a study of the effects of isolation on the mind and soul.

Bound by a deep friendship despite their vastly different upbringings, Jonathon and Myles have been inseparable throughout their university years. But when a fateful encounter forces them to confront old wounds and unspoken resentments, their bond begins to unravel. As ambitions and pride clash, the brothers-in-spirit find themselves at a crossroads: reconcile and rebuild the trust that once defined them, or succumb to the bitterness that threatens to drive them apart forever.

Rediscover the vibrant legacy of Panazz, a boundary-breaking Trinidadian Steelpan ensemble from the 1990s whose innovative jazz fusion redefined the global perception of their national instrument.

A braided essay that asks participants about their relationships to concepts of revenge and justice. How can song conjure the sublime, necessary, and oft resisted work of deconstruction?

This mini-documentary follows a day in the life of one of Nanaimo's finest drag performers, Kash, as they take us on a journey through the ups and downs of their professional and personal life. This documentary chronicles the sheer bravery it takes to be yourself, regardless of what others think or which part of the world you may reside.

When Steven's little sister Emily mysteriously goes missing, no one can point any fingers, until the truth starts to unfold, leading them to discover Emily's disappearance similarly follows the old Trinidad folklore tale of the Douen.

As the world continues to consume single-use plastic at alarming rates, this silent, atmospheric film imagines a world where plastic replaces water – our singular life force. An elegiac dystopia set in the Caribbean, the film explores everyday situations, transforming the idyllic into the tragic. It is a Caribbean call to action – and a message to all of us who share the planet.