We all have our stories to tell, and one of the best mediums to spread the word is through Film. The Caribbean like most communities are constantly saturated with North American, Western and European images in their media. Not since the release of films such as Dance Hall Queen (Jamaica) has there been a significant impact on film and the film industry in the Caribbean.

Director,Producer - STORM with Producer - Michelle Serieux

In recent years, Trinidad and Jamaica has produced notable Caribbean soap operas, but as you can imagine there is a greater need for artistry and dialogue through films and television to give voices to other stories.

New Caribbean Cinema (NCC) is a collaboration of 8 young Film Makers (two of which I met at an industry event during tiff) from throughout the Caribbean who, combine their talents, perspectives and artistry to help each other produce feature length films and other projects. The movement which touts a New Wave, New Style and New Directors is a much needed revolution for Caribbean film and media industry. NCC has gone beyond most collaborations by not depending and waiting on government funding but by pooling the resources and talents of its members to produce and direct shorts in an effort to create a final featured length film.

I met two of the Producers/Directors of NCC, Storm Saulter (Jamaica) and Michelle Serieux (St. Lucia) who spoke candidly about the film industry or lack there of in the Caribbean and advocated the need for support by the public. Both directors were enthusiastic about their venture and the crowd response at the reception to their trailers and shorts were equally encouraging.

Visit the site below, view the Trailers/Shorts and Support New Caribbean Cinema

http://www.newcaribbeancinema.com/

About Author: Khamal Murray is a major in Bioethics & Health Studies at the University of Toronto, a published journalist, as well as the Editor/Writer with TheJuxtapositionApe Blog and a contributor to online News Mag Alternavox  & Science Mag LifeofALabRat.

Variety – (Sept 07) A flurry of developments tied to Toronto will be unveiled this week, on the heels of the Weinstein Co.’s Tuesday announcement that it is creating a new label to bring content to digital and traditional platforms simultaneously, hiring former Magnolia execs Tom Quinn and Jason Janego to head the initiative. The duo will attend Toronto with an eye toward acquiring films for the fledging label. Company expects to debut its first title under the new label in the first half of 2012.

“People are realizing that Toronto is a great place to start selling new films,” said FilmNation Entertainment topper Glen Basner. “Equity is coming back after being on (the) sidelines, and that’s a double-edged sword, as while it allows more movies to get made, it doesn’t necessarily mean more good movies. For now, the financial crisis made buyers much more conservative, but the cycle will change.”

As the major studios have dramatically cut back on their production slates, distribution pipelines have opened to indies proffering low- to midrange-budgeted films. Sundance, Berlin and Cannes already saw better-than-expected markets, and after the stunning successes of “Black Swan” and “The King’s Speech,” the summer B.O. tallies for Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris” have bolstered the general sense that this is a good time to be an indie.

An eclectic mix of titles has emerged with elevated expectations for sales during Toronto: horror projects “You’re Next” and “The Awakening“; relationship dramas “360,” “Shame,” “Take This Waltz” and “Winnie“; police drama “Rampart“; enivronmental thriller “The Hunter“; and comedies “Peace, Love and Misunderstanding” and “Friends With Kids.”

Amber Entertainment and Haxan Films — the banner behind “The Blair Witch Project” — believe buyers can’t get enough horror, and rather than sell off foreign rights, they’ve fully financed “Lovely Molly,” formerly dubbed “The Possession.”

“It’s a calculated risk, but we think we’ll come out much better with an unencumbered film,” said Amber’s Jane Fleming. “We think that we can do far more on international sales than we saw in the estimates.”

To continue reading …http://bit.ly/qD5k15

Written by Dave McNary

Ok, so here we are days away from the most exciting 10 days of films, industry networking, receptions/parties and of course stars. What I am taking about “TIFF”.  It’s the most recognized four letters that are now redefining the lengthy title of one of the largest public festival in the world – Toronto International Film Festival.

LUCKY – dir Avie Luthra (South Africa)

Each year I spend an afternoon reviewing the official selections and then I compile a list of films for friends and those who find it hard to choose from over 310 films. TIFF has served as a star-studded kickoff to awards season – four out of the five most recent best-picture winners debuted here, as well as dozens of other trophy-netting performances and directorial acknowledgements, so wouldn’t you want to say you were sitting in the theatre when said film premiered. I’m been fortunate to see those Oscar nominated films here at TIFF but I have to admit I have less fortunate in seeing the Plame d’Or winning film in Cannes. So, perhaps if you follow my suggestions this year; you could just easily become one of the first when the Oscar race begins to say proudly – “I’ve seen that”. 

The list below is comprise of some of my favourite artists such as directors, writers and actors. Directors like Steve McQueen (A name you won’t soon forget), Lar Von Tier (a name most during Cannes didn’t want to associated with, Alexander Payne, Fernando Meirelles , Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Pedro Almodóvar and Canadian Jean Marc Valle. Actors such as Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Jude Law, Clive Owen, Michelle Yeoh and Charlotte Gainsbourg. I’ve also included a film made by a friend of mine from South Africa Akin Omotoso(MAN ON GROUND) and a touching short film that I programmed years ago now a feature film carrying the same title LUCKY – but luck has nothing to do with it. By far South Africa has come a long way in telling their stories – 3 films from the once oppressed African country made my list. I’m also delighted to included Oscar winning writer Geoffrey Fletcher directorial debut film VIOLET & DAISY, Fletcher won the Oscar for the adaptation of PRECIOUS in 2009.

SHAME – dir Steve McQueen (United Kingdom)

As always – I must caution you on my selections – storyline and themes can be quite heavy. If you find yourself in need of mental health day after seeing one or two from the section ”Highly Recommend” films – then consider yourself warned.

There were certain key words that came to mind when I compiled the list – mass migration, unravelling, morality, struggle, give up, extinct, selfish and shame – lies as the trend for this year. It’s not far cry from my overview of what I saw in Cannes – mostly all of the Cannes line-up made it to TIFF this year. (Note – the films that have * I’ve watched in Cannes)

So whether or not you choose from the 25 films that I carved from roughly 310 and I hope you do, it’s a testament to the TIFF programmers. I can only imagine their choices must have been harder.

However, if you rather take a stab at choosing on your own, never the less the outcome will still remain the same. We will all gather in the dark cinema anxious to be moved to tears, laugh, learn and be frighten (Midnight Madness) by our personal choice. You can almost hear the silence as you patiently wait for that projection to begin.

Bon festival! And as always please let us know what you will see at the festival.

Highly Recommended

   1.   SHAME – dir Steve McQueen pervious film HUNGER (United Kingdom)    

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/shame

   2.   THE ARTIST – dir Michel Hazanavicius (France)  

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/theartist 

360 – dir Fernando Meirelles

   3.   360 – dir Fernando Meirelles  previous film CITY OF GOD &CONSTANT GARDERNER

           http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/360film

   4.   WE NEED TO TALK TO KEVIN* – dir Lynne Ramsay (United Kingdom)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/weneedtotalkaboutkevin

   5.   BEAUTY* – dir Oliver Hermanus (South Africa)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/beauty

BEAUTY – dir Oliver Hermanus

   6.   ELENA* – dir Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russia)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/elena

   7.   ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA* - dir Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey)

           http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/onceuponatimeinanato

   8.   DRIVE* – dir Nicolas Winding Refn previous film (Valhalla Rising) (U.S.A)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/drive

DRIVE – dir Nicolas Winding Refn

   9.   LUCKY – dir Avie Luthra (South Africa)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/lucky

  10.  CAFE DE FORE – dir Jean-Marc Vallée previous film C.R.A.Z.Y (Canada)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/cafedeflore

  11.  MELANCHOLIA* - dir Lar Von Tier (Denmark)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/melancholia

MELANCHOLIA - dir Lar Von Tier

  12.  THE SKIN I LIVE IN – dir Pedro Almodóvar (Spain)

           http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/theskinilivein

  13.  LIPSTIKKA – dir Jonathan Sagall (Israel)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/lipstikka

  14.  THE KID WITH A BIKE* – dir The Dardenne Brothers previous film  L’enfant (Belgium)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/kidwithabike

Documentary - LAST CALL AT THE OASIS – Dir Jessica Yu

  15.  LAST CALL AT THE OASIS – Dir Jessica Yu (U.S)

          http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/lastcallattheoasis 

Definitely Worth The Rush Line

COLOUR OF THE OCEAN – dir Maggie Peren (Germany)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/coloroftheocean

 SPLEEPING BEAUTY – dir Julia Leigh (Australia) http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/sleepingbeauty2

 MICHEAL  - dir Markus Schleinzer (Austria)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/michael2

MICHEAL - dir Markus Schleinzer

 KILLER ELITE – dir Gary McKendry (U.S/Australia)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/killerelite

 THE LADY – dir Luc Besson (France) http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/thelady

 STARBUCK – dir Ken Scott (Canada)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/starbuck

 THE DECENDENTS – dir Alexander Payne previous film SIDEWAYS (U.S)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/descendants

 DARK GIRLS – dir Bill Duke (U.S) http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/darkgirls

 MAN ON GROUND – dir Akin Omotoso (South Africa)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/manonground

 VIOLET & DAISY – dir Geoffrey Fletcher  (U.S)http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/violetdaisy

VIOLET & DAISY – dir Geoffrey Fletcher (2009 Oscar winning writer now director)