Check out the latest razzle dazzle from the boys over at TriniJungleJuice TV. New(ish) episodes every Tuesday.
Dear Movie Lovers,
To commemorate the 26th anniversary of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s death, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in co-operation with MovieTowne is presenting a one-week film series with a selection of some of his most famous films.
Beginning on 5 November the following films will be shown in German with English subtitles at 5.30 p.m. daily:
Lili Marleen, Martha, Lola, Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Effi Briest and Veronika Voss.
The summaries of the films are attached to this email.
Tickets are available at MovieTowne at a reduced entrance fee of
15,- TT$.
There will be a complementary screening of “Katzelmacher” at the StudioFilmClub (Building 7, Fernandes Industrial Center, Eastern Main Road, Laventille, Port of Spain) on Thursday, 13 November 2008 at
8.30 p.m.
Born in 1945, Fassbinder was a man of many contradictions. Known as a skilled aesthete and perfectionist, he was a rebel against the post-war era as much as he grew up as a part of it. Unlike other directors, Fassbinder primarily focused on the political and social issues of his time, portraying German society and revealing its state of mind. Many famous actors like Rudolf Platte, Adrian Hoven and Luise Ulrich followed his call and stayed with him for the production of a number of movies.
Even though his actual working period lasted only 17 years, Fassbinder’s radical perfectionism, his new aesthetics and of course his political perspective have deeply influenced filmmakers across the globe. Films such as Fear Eats the Soul, Veronica Voss and Lili Marleen as well as numerous television productions and stage-plays have gained him continuing reception and recognition. Often compared to Andy Warhol’s Factory, Fassbinder managed to establish post-war realism in German film, renewing its political status quo, and provided a focal point for actors for many years.
Two of my boys wrote a bunch of scripts for this 10 part mini-series. Tempo took the scripts, hacked them to bits, and produced CHOICES: Roots, Reality and Culture. It's airing now, or you can watch the episodes online at choices.gottempo.com.
Enjoy.
A fiery Spanish Priest risks his life to confront modern-day slavery on the sugarcane plantations of the Dominican Republic.
This year's Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival will be held in September and October. It opens at Movietowne, and hits up St. Augustine, San Fernando and Tobago, before closing with the Animae Caribe Animation and New Media festival at UWI, October 25-27.
The deadline for submissions is June 30th, and for more information contact ttfilmfest[at]wow[dot]net. They don't want to talk to you, otherwise they would've put their phone number.
Check out Brownscape Production's Brownbag Magazine, chock full of Asian American content. They'd put out this documentary a coupla years back called Made In India, about arranged marriages.
Maybe if you ask nicely i can ask Deepti for the bootleg corner bodega version.
Ms Downtown Island won Best Actress at the Bridgetown Film Festival for her role in the new film Hit For Six. HFS won “Best Barbadian Film” from a field of seven films and Best Cinematographer of the Festival went to Richard Lannaman.
In related news, fellow Trinidadian Yao Ramesar won Best Director for his film Sistagod.
Take a bow!
Two local documentaries at the Studio Flims Club - a new one about the Kilimanjaro School in Cocorite, and a not-so-new one about Trinidad Carnival.
Flims from 8:15, doors open at 7:30. Admission free free free and drinks on sale.UP AND DANCING - THE MAGIC STILTS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (Harald Rumpf/2007/T&T-Germmany/51’)
The documentary “Up and Dancing” follows the lives of several students and teachers of the “Kilimanjaro School of Arts and Culture” as they prepare for upcoming carnival parades in Port of Spain, Trinidad.The film takes a realistic yet tender look at the practitioners of the traditional art of stilt walking; characters popularly know as Moko Jumbies.Practiced primarily by youths from low-income families in the Cocorite hills, “walking” has become a creative diversion from the sometimes harsh realities of poor urban life.
CARNIVAL ROOTS (Peter Chelkowski/2003/T&T-USA/90’)
“Carnival Roots” is an electrifying documentary film about the people and the music that fuel Trinidad’s carnival.Made over a period of three years while in collaboration with some of Trinidad’s most dynamic designers, musicians, masqueraders and historians, “Carnival Roots” manages to touch on some of the major elements and themes that shape carnival as we know it today.With great clarity the film offers an insight into the historical links between traditional mas and the development of new forms within carnival.What emerges as the film progresses is not a presentation of carnival as revelry and fun but a vision of carnival seen as the act of a nation forging it’s own identity.From camboulay to steelband, to calypso and soca the film emphasizes of the power of transformation that is inherent in the domain of carnival. “Carnival Roots”
which features the music of Machel Montano, Black Stalin, Bunji Garlin and Super Blue among others, is elegantly shot on 16mm film and would have to be considered one of the most definitive films made on the subject of carnival.
The UWI Kenya Academic Research and Cultural Exchange Project will be hosting a Movie Marathon/ Fundraiser on Saturday 12th May at the Center for Language Learning Auditorium, UWI. They are trying to raise funds for 26 students to get to Kenya, cuz it's not like the UWI could use their own cash to send some kids to Africa.
For ticket info contact Akilah (714.6757), Tyehimba (730.4693) or Melissa (716.4791). I kinda hoping there's a dancing competition for a trip to Africa or something.2:30PM ($35) LUMUMBA (2000/ Raoul Peck/ Haiti)
5:00PM ($50 Double Feature) YESTERDAY (2004/ Darrell Roodt/ South Africa) and TSOTSI (2005/ Gavin Hood/ South Africa)
This first of the six seasons of Westwood Park weaves the story of the DuSoleil and Gunn-Monroe families, whose affluent and picture-perfect lifestyles become less than idyllic on closer inspection. The manipulative and power-hungry Herbert dominates the Gunn-Monroe clan, while the conscientious and upstanding Jonathan heads the DuSoleil family. Set in lush and luxurious locations rarely seen in Caribbean dramas, Westwood Park is driven by the universal themes of love, hate, power, greed and corruption.Westwood Park: Season One is available for purchase on Amazon, at the bargain price of thirty fo' ninety nine. I think I will have one.
Bored with MySpace, Hi5, Facebook, Youtube, et cetera ad infinitum? Check out WestIndianTube.com - it needs no explanation. Guaranteed to waste countless precious hours of your life, that you will never ever be able to recover. Enjoy.
Remember that casting call for The Reef that you missed out on? They're going to be screening prospective Bagonians on Saturday morning at the Fairfield Complex in Bacolet. From 9AM to 1PM, bring a passport photo and a full length photo, and if you need more info, call Glenda-Rose Layne at 798.2613 or 316.3548.
Hop to it, the boat leaves at five.
Argentinian Cinema Wednesdays are back with "Ana y Los Otros" (2002/80') - winner, Best Latin-American Film, Rio de Janeiro International Festival (2003):
25 year old Ana returns to her home town after being away for 8 years. She is searching for her past, but not much of it is left there: just afew friends and a handful of vague images that she tries to sort out: thestreets of the town, her neighbourhood, the house where she grew up as achild, the hill bordering the river. She finds herself experiencing astrange feeling of belonging and ofAdmission is always free, but seat reservation is required - call 628.7557. Screenings are at the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, 4th Floor, TATIL Building - after 5:00pm, enter only through basement.
being uprooted. "Ana y los otros" is the intimate depiction of a quest. It is asubjective, melancholic yet hopeful journey that becomes an examination of identity.
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The film tells the story of Alex Nelson, a talented but inconsistent cricketer, dropped from the West Indies team due to an altercation with his coach, Amir Misra of India, played by Nirmal Thani. After a three-year absence from the team, Nelson begins a journey towards redeeming himself in the eyes of his critical father, a West Indies cricket icon, as well as overcoming the demons from his past which seek to collect on old debts.I hope it makes it to Trinidad, whether at StudioFilmClub or Movietowne. In the meantime, I'll be downstairs watching re-runs of Downtown Island.
Happy Easter to all my friends and colleagues. Have a great long weekend gang. Enjoy the lingering taste of hot cross buns, easter eggs, and Mewa tom-foolery.
If you missed last week's casting call (or are just obssessed with standing in front of cameras), Diefferent Style Flims is looking for actors for the following roles for a new TV 13- episode series, “THE REEF”:
BABYDOLL - 20s, Indo-Trinbagonian, limer, ambitious, flighty, fun-loving.
BRYLCREEM - 20s, limer, fun-loving.
DETECTIVE DEAN - 40s- 50s, serious, masculine, large frame, fit, honest.
DRIVER - 30s- 40s, Villain, Sly/silent type, well built, fit, stoic.
GANGULY - 50s-60s, Writer, intellectual, arrogant, distinguished, English accent.
HANS - 30s-40s, visitor, DUTCH/GERMAN gullible.
IXORA - 50s-60s, Former maid, mean spirited, wretched, dishonest
JACK - 40s, Driver, straightforward, quiet, clear,.
LAWYER - 40s-50s, well spoken, good sense of humour.
LIZZIE Mc MANN - 35-50, American mother, outspoken, suspicious, stubborn.
MA - 50s. Indo-Trinbagonian, Fun loving, relaxed, organised.
MARCONI - 50s, Criminal heavy roller, sinister, criminal background, intelligent, understated.
MICAH - 20s, Front desk attendant, dark-skinned, gorgeous, competent, confident,
articulate.
MISS GILLIAN - 50s- 60s Cook, Spiritual Baptist, easy to work with.
MOTHER MONICA - 60s-70s, Spiritual Healer, stern, threatening.
Ms. WEBSTER - 20s-30, Assistant to Writer, patient but frustrated.
NANCY MC MANN - 19-27, American tourist, fun loving, free spirited, game for anything.
NEHILETH - 20s-30s, Afro- Trinidadian, centred, smart.
OLD MAN - 60 - 70 Vacationer, competent, coherent, laid back.
OLD WOMAN - 60 - 70 Vacationer, laid back, adventurous, soft spoken.
POPO - 20s, limer
RAJIN - 20s, coward, introverted
SANJAY - 20s, Small criminal, focussed, cool, deadly.
SURAJ - 20s, limer, instigator
TERRENCE - 20s, surfer type, game for anything, idle, fun.
TOURIST MAN - Foreigner, pleasant
TOURIST WOMAN - Foreigner, pleasant
TRACI - 20s-30s, voluptuous, brazen, loving.
TROY - 20s, surfer type, game for anything, idle, fun.
WHISKEY - 50s, 60s, unassuming, long-suffering.
ZWADE - 20s, surfer type, game for anything, idle, fun.
Auditions will be held on Saturday April 7 , 2007 at 49 Rosalino Street, Woodbrook at 10:00am. For more info call 316 3548/628- 4168 or email diefferentstyleflims[at]gmail[dot]com.
There seems to be a strong demand for Tourist Style actors these days. One of my boys is setting up an agency that will be booking Tourist Style actors only. Details to follow.
To mark the conclusion of their "Third World Week" celebration, a cricket team in a small English village invites a West Indian cricket team from South London to a charity game.TTW screenings are free, and showtime is 7PM. Read a decade old NY Times review here.
Not surprisingly, there's wariness on both sides. But Willie Boy (Norman Beaton), the proud, wryly philosophical captain of the Conquistadors, is intent on accepting the invitation. Meanwhile, the captain of the Sneddington Cricket Club, the innocent but overweeningly self-satisfied Derek (Nicholas Farell), is confident of a handy Sunday afternoon victory.
Obviously, the possibilities, both comic and serious, in this cultural exchange are endless, and the filmmakers seem not to have missed any of them. But, for all the film's abundant humor, Ove, said to be Britain's first black film maker, and the Oxford-educated Phillips, never let us forget that racial tensions lurk beneath the occasion's sure of good will. In the end, Playing Away’s pleasures are subtle and genuine.”
Several To Fail Fantasy Spelling Quiz As SFC Screens Pan's Labyrinth This Thursday
0 comments at 1:51 AM
The film starts at 8:15PM, but come early to see an interview with the director - and to get a good seat, as i suspect this will be a popular one.
Feel free to check out some reviews.
They'll also be screening the documentary 'The Story Beneath The Surface - Oral Traditions In Carnival' by Jason Riley on Saturday March 24th at 7PM. This film features interviews with Rawle Gibbons, Pearl Eintou Springer and Felix Edinborough, just to name a few. There's no cover, but try to call ahead or get there early, as there's limited seating in the theatre.
An image captures a feeling, a story shares a message, a movie becomes a movement. Media That Matters brings you 16 inspiring films by youth and independent filmmakers committed to changing the world, in 8 minutes or less.