New database of Caribbean films to launch this September

In a move that is expected to significantly impact the burgeoning Caribbean film industry, as well as those engaged in Caribbean and Film Studies worldwide, the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) will launch the first ever Caribbean Film Database, as well as its inaugural Caribbean Film Mart, during its 10th annual Festival, taking place from 15-29 September 2015.

The groundbreaking database will make available an online resource of over 600 independent, feature length films from 2000 to 2014, made in and about the Caribbean, and is expected to be the largest resource available to date on Caribbean film for filmmakers, producers, scholars and industry professionals. These narrative, documentary and experimental films, will include a select number of Caribbean classics and contain a bibliography of film resources, a Caribbean Women in Film page and links to film festivals, film commissions, film associations and schools in the region.

According to Melanie Archer, ttff’s Art Director and coordinator of the database: “We wanted to create an online resource that was easily accessible, well organised and reflected the visual palette of the Caribbean film movement. A one-stop shop for Caribbean film, if you will.”

University of the West Indies lecturer and ttff’s founder and director, Dr Bruce Paddington, added: “This is an exciting development for the Caribbean film industry and for universities and libraries with an interest in Caribbean Studies. The database is comprehensive, written in three languages and lists films made in the Caribbean’s three major language groups – English, French and Spanish. We believe it will be an invaluable tool for academics and researchers and hope that it will strengthen Caribbean film and literature.”

The other initiative, the Caribbean Film Mart – a four day series of meetings, presentations, and networking events – will give 15 regional filmmakers with projects in development, the opportunity to meet one-on-one with international film producers, sales agents and film funds, to forge partnerships, source funding and secure distribution of their films.

According to Emilie Upczak, ttff’s Creative Director and overall coordinator for both projects: “Through the Mart, we are seeking to introduce the unique voice and aesthetic of Caribbean film to the international film industry, while the Database, signals the importance of preserving and sharing Caribbean stories as tools for academic research and understanding, social and political transformation, and stronger cross-border connections throughout the Caribbean and it’s diaspora.”

Together, the Caribbean Film Database and Caribbean Film Mart are expected to strengthen the production and distribution of Caribbean films through the development of structures that will allow Caribbean films and filmmakers greater visibility and opportunities in the global film industry by increasing production capacity and access to markets.

A region-wide initiative, the Caribbean Film Database and the Caribbean Film Mart are being implemented by the trinidad+tobago film festival in association with the Fundación Global Democracia y Dessarollo from the Dominican Republic, the Association for the Development of Art Cinema and Practice in Guadeloupe, the Foundation of New Latin American Cinema in Cuba, and the Festival Régional et International du Cinéma de Guadeloupe.

The Caribbean Film Mart and Caribbean Film Database  project is supported by the ACP Cultures+ Programme, funded by the European Union (European Development Fund) and implemented by the ACP Group of States.

For more information on the Caribbean Film Database, email database@caribbean-film.com.

For the Caribbean Film Mart, email mart@caribbeanfilm.com.