BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE second Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase officially began its seven-day movie series in St. Kitts yesterday (Jan. 25), receiving incredible responses from the hundreds of viewers who turned out for the first film.
The week-long event, held at the Movies III located on East Bay Road, is expected to feature over 50 Caribbean movies 6:00 nightly from Monday through to Friday and will have four video presentations on Saturday at 2:00, 5:00, 7:00 and 8:30 in the evening.
The second tour of presentations for the non-profit cultural project is being undertaken in 31 countries across the region and has been sponsored by the Cuban Film Institute, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the University of the West Indies (UWI). It includes short films, features, documentaries and animation from the spectrum of countries in the Greater Caribbean including the island nations, Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua, Belize and Costa Rica.
The focus of this year’s showcase is the education of the region’s youth, enabling them to “see themselves reflected on the screen through their own stories, culture and identities”. The showcase also serves to increase media literacy, a responsibility the committee views to be one of extreme importance for educational and cultural institutions and the society as a whole.
Local coordinator of the film showcase Marlene Phillips-Lee told SKNVibes that she was very pleased with the turnout at yesterday’s launch and stressed that the idea of the film showcase is one that should be accepted as it is an effective educational tool.
She added that the organizing committee based in Cuba did a “very good job” at selecting a combination of different types of films including animation, comedy, drama, fiction and documentaries, all of which are educational.
“The film showcase is very effective for educational purposes because we digest things more quickly through video. It helps us to be able to cross over language barriers as some of the films are bilingual and subtitled but through video we are still able to fully understand. The films allow us to learn much more as we are readily able to relate to what is seen and digest the material subconsciously.
“So far, we have received much positive feedback; children and parents alike have shown great interest in the films. The cinematography, story lines and content were all of high quality and the films address real social issues affecting the Caribbean including HIV/AIDS and cultural integration. Many of the videos teach about the various cultures within the region, and all send very positive messages to the audience.
“It may be a new experience since people normally go the Cinemas to view a feature film. The difference with this showcase is that the films are separated into groups, so that a number of films may be viewed within an hour and a half to give each viewer a good mix of films.”
Phillips-Lee indicated that this week’s showcase is expected to have a “packed schedule” as over 300 students would be attending the show daily. She encouraged all children over the age of twelve and any interested adult to come out to be entertained and educated by a wide array of regional cinema productions.
