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!