Turtle: The Incredible Journey

     The documentary entitled “Turtle: The Incredible Journey” is an 80 minute feature about the birth, growth and exploits of a loggerhead turtle. Within the first few minutes of the film the viewer is pleased to discover that this is no dreary monologue but rather, an educational, awe inspiring experience. The director uses the camera to bring these tiny newborn creatures into focus and create the illusion that we are experiencing the world through their eyes. The battle for survival as the baby loggerheads race towards the open sea captivates the entire audience and we are able to sense the fear and anxiety they must have felt at the time.

     Honestly, had it not been for the purpose of supplying this blog with information about the film festival I would not have taken it upon myself to see a film about a turtle, but I’m glad I did. There were many aspects of the ocean and the beings that cohabitated there highlighted in the film that I did not know. It was also interesting to realize how intricately woven the existence of these sea dwellers are. The most interesting feature of the documentary for me is the fact loggerhead was born with an internal compass that enables them to find their way around the ocean unaided. The turtle was born with all the skills needed to navigate and survive the vast ocean.

     Though I was not particularly surprised that the auditorium was only 40% full for the movie presentation (because advertising for the event left a lot to be desired), the actual content of the audience surprised me. Those coming to view the movie made it a family event. The ages of those present ranged from pre teens to elderly persons.  I was taken aback because I am used to seeing mainly couples and groups of friends populating a cinema.

     Although the benefits of having such a film being included in the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival was obvious I wondered what exactly are the criteria for an application to be considered as an entrant in the Film Festival and why after considering local and regional films, there were still vacancies for foreign films? Were there not enough local and regional applications or were the quality of these applications called into question? However there is no doubt that the film was well received by the audience, as was evident at the conclusion of the film everyone gave a standing ovation.

Have You Seen Ida's Daughter?



Eintou Pearl Springer



Ida's daughter, Eintou Pearl Springer is missing! She is not missing from daily existence amongst her family, friends and loved ones. She is missing from the recently concluded Fifth Annual Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival via a feature documentary entitled Ida's Daughter: The World of Eintou Pearl Springer.

This discovery was made a couple of days after the film was screened in the AV room of NAlIS, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain. Having thoroughly enjoyed the documentary for the insight it provided on a "daughter of the soil" early upbringing and influences, a couple of Media Jamettes team members eagerly perused the Film Festival's guide to see when it would be shown.

Much to our dismay, shock and utter confusion, the documentary was not in the Film Festival's viewing line-up. Needless to say the screening of the documentary at which a couple of our team members were privileged to be at was the sole initiative of NALIS. It was done to honour this said "daughter of the soil" as they recognised her past, present and ongoing passion filled contribution to the arts in this country. It is to be noted that Ms. Springer was at one point and time the director of the Heritage Library at NALIS.

So, back to why the documentary was not a part of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival line-up for 2010. Well, when asked, the information received from a reliable source was that it was rejected by the Film Festival Commission which is spearheaded by Bruce Paddington.

We will reiterate, the documentary Ida's Daughter: The World of Eintou Pearl Springer was rejected as part of this year's film festival? Why? We do not have the answer to as yet but it has led us on the part of questioning exactly what is the criteria that must be met for a film (documentary, short, drama, monologue etc.) to be a part of Trinidad and Tobago's Film Festival.

At this point we must indicate that the documentary was selected and shown at the Fifth Annual Belize International Film Festival. The festival ran from July 16 to 24, 2010 under the auspices of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and the Belize Film Commission.

OMG! How more obvious can it be? Is it to say that there is only one copy of the documentary for circulation and it did not make it to Trinidad on time. In time to be screened and subsequently admitted to the Fifth Trinidad and Tobago International Film Festival which ran from September 22nd to October 5th, 2010.

It is quite irritating and disappointing, the blatant disregard that artistes are treated with by most people in this country and in particular the media. It is even more so in this particular instance as the film industry in general is deeply embedded in the media. There was and is a need the media in this country to secure and support the interests and vitality of our local artistes such as Ms. Springer through the different mediums and or forums afforded to them via the media.

Ida's Daughter: The World of Eintou Pearl Springer is a documentary that is pertinent to the history of Trinidad and Tobago as a whole and to the arts in particular. It passes on knowledge and inspiration and identifes the different experiences and influences one can come across in life. It is relevant to understanding the development of Ms. Springer's passion for her artforms as a poet, playwright, actor, cultural activist and about literature becoming the source of her interest.

The documentary recalls  her chilhood in Santa Cruz, the cultural milieu that shaped her, the role of the extended family and, in particular, her grandfather; the stick fighting, the mas, the cuisine, the fauna and the flora. the film also looked at Ms. Springer's role in the Black Power events of 1970 in which her cousin, Theodore Guerra, SC, was a prosecutor and she was an activist.

The team members of Media Jamettes gives this documentary four stars and encourage that members of the public source and view this documentary film, which we hope will become available for the general public's viewing very soon. Of course this is dependent on all aspects of the media in Trinidad and Tobago taking their role and responsibility where the film industry to the full extent.

Please look out for continued review postings on the films that were shown at this year's film festival which this team fully endorses!

The Wind Journeys, Man of the Soil and Isles of Flowers

     During the period of the film festival September 22nd to October 5th this year, I had the opportunity of viewing three films. Two very short films, Man of the Soil and Isle of Flowers and a full length The Wind Journeys. 

     The Wind Journeys is a film about a juglar, Ignacio Carrillo, who spends his life travelling throughout northern Columbia, singing vallenato, a popular form of folk music, accompanied by his accordion, which is said to be cursed by the devil.

     The films starts with Ignacio burying his wife, who suddenly dies. With her death he decides to leave the small town, to return the accordion to its previous owner, his former teacher and mentor.

     As he is leaving town on his donkey, he is followed by a boy name Fermin, who decides that he wants to become a juglar like Ignacio. As they journey the film shows off the awesome landscape of northern Columbia and man and boy becomes closer, as they overcome a series of mystical occurrences, but Ignacio does not teach him how to play the accordion, as he believes it's only going to bring him a life of solitude and sadness.

     When Ignacio and Fermin finally reaches their destination, they learn that the owner of the accordion has died and left behind his wife and children, Ignacio starts playing the accordion for them, but from there the show get confusing, because they show Fermin walking back home by himself.

     The Wind Journeys is a Columbian film, 116 minutes long, directed by Ciro Guerra and also Columbia's official selection for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Academy Awards.

      Nom Tew (Man of the Soil) is a seven minute Dominican documentary, directed by Pierre Deschamps. This film was about a Jerry Maka West, a Rastafarian, who lives a very simple life in the forest. He grows and prepares his own food, as was taught and handed down to him by his grandparents, because he believes that whatever is taken out of the earth must be put back in.

     The last film viewed was Isles of Flowers (Ilha Das Flores), a thirteen minute Brazilian documentary based on the life of a tomato, from it's beginning stage on a farm, to when it's picked and sold to a supermarket. It is then bought by a Mrs Anete, who carries it home to cook for her family. On realising that the tomato is spoilt, she throws it in the garbage. It is then taken to a landfill called Isles of Flowers.

     On the island the garbage is then separated into two, food for pigs, who are given first preference and then poor women and children. This film is considered one of the greatest short films ever made.

     My opinion of  the films seen is that they were all well produced and quite entertaining in their own right. The problem that I had apart from the minor interruptions in the movie, was the poor turnout of patrons to support the film festival. Theatre six was alloted for viewing off all movies for the festival and can accommodate one hundred and eighty-six (186) patron.

     On the day of my observation, which was Saturday 2nd, the 2:30pm viewing of the films I saw had a total of forty (40) persons in attendance. Of the forty person in attendance, the majority were of a mature age group who said they were film festival lovers, while the others were students there for one reason or the other.

     One can say that the poor turn out at the film festival could have been attributed mainly to the lack of advertising  and promotion on behalf of the print and electronic media or because people were just not interested in viewing local films and / or films that did not carry big name stars or rake in millions at the box office like Harry Potter and Avatar.

A glance of our Local Film Festival

Some Must see Films

A look at the Show coming out of this year's film festival

It was a Movie Towne Experience

We Supported our Film Festival

Doubles wit Slight Pepper

 Being born a Trinidadian is indeed a privilege, here we have some of the best beaches, we live among persons with a number of different ethnic backgrounds, we celebrate the greatest show on earth without fail every year and yes there is "Doubles" enjoyed "wit slight pepper" it is just one of our many delicacies that can bring joy to your taste buds at first bite. 

Doubles is a cheap and very popular street food indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago.

"Doubles wit Slight Pepper" is a local produced film by Aliyah Zalim. The film is just 15mins long but, let me tell you at the end of it you will be sure to find the nearest "doubles stand" and call for two with slight pepper.

It takes you on a journey of the different kinds of doubles, the many different interpretations of a doubles and the different ways it can be enjoyed. It shows Trinidad and its people in a different light something that the rest of the world does not get to see often. I think the producer was brilliant to find something that we can all relate to, in this case doubles and use this to showcase our beautiful island Trinidad for what it is, not just the crime and all things that are bad but, the people and the way of life,our food, our heritage our beloved nation.

I think the media could of done more to push the Local Film Festival, i mean it is local, all locally produced but, how many people actually heard of it or even went to any of the show held in our own Movie Towne Port-of-Spain, Chaguanas and even Tobago, not one of the films were shown on one local station or broadcast on one local radion station to give the public some notice.

Am sure if this film had Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie as the leading stars people would of found some time to see it. 

Pic of Alexander Bendahan

Mr. Bendahan was a very gracious producer in answering questions from the audience; even disclosing how he was able to fund the documentary.

Rose Murray-Portrait of a Photographer (T. & T. International Film Festival)

Rose Murray -Portrait of a Photographer was a half hour film on exhibition at the Trinidad and Tobago International Film Festival 2010 at Movietown, Invaders Bay Port of Spain. This documentary interviewed a caucasian woman who was a retired photographer in Jamaica.the documentary was shot at her rustic home filled with pictures in the Peranese Mountains where she now lives. Rose Murray was the wife of the British High Commissioner to Jamaica and Ambassador to Haiti when she began her hobby that turned into a career.

Rose Murray became a volunteer at a children's home and started taking pictures of them. When she took the picture Rose would develop the film and give the children a copy for them to keep. In time the children and even adults invited her to take pictures of them and their most memorable occasions (going to the beach, pregnancies, even dressing up); knowing that when that picture is taken they would have a picture to remember the moments with.

Ms. Murray commented that the reflection of light on black people was beautiful she prefered to take pictures of them rather than white people as she said they didn't have the same character. She made sure to take the pictures of the Jamaicans as humans and not MONSTERS as some persons thought they were.
This movie was produced by Alexander Bendahan and won the First place-Best Short Documentary-Rhode Island Film International Film Festival, Official Selection at the St. Barth's Film Festival and Official Selection at the T. & T. International Film Festival .

I found that this documetary showed a 'foreigner' per say finding her place in a country that didn't give birth to her yet being accepted by all who knew her for what she stood for and appreciating her talent.