Not even a pandemic can stop Trinis from finding new ways to celebrate our beloved Carnival season. As 2021 promises to offer a plethora of creative new takes on the Greatest Show on Earth, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (ttff) is scheduled to host a special Carnival Edition of their online streaming series, #WatchAMovieOnUs. This series of events will take place during the week of February 7-14, 2021.
The festival, held annually, traditionally celebrates films coming from and written about the Caribbean and its various diaspora, sometimes including pieces from foreign cinemas. The ttff’s aspirations are to facilitate the growth of Caribbean cinema, artists, and audiences by offering a unique product that distinguishes itself in the international market, and highlights Caribbean people and their representation in the space.
With the usual format being filled to the brim with interactive Q&A sessions, panels, and collaborative activities such as training and workshops, it comes as no surprise that the regular flow of operations had to be restructured this year, and the full festival carded with hopeful watch for September 22-28.
This limited time event, however, intends (as do many local culture creators and perpetuators) to assure and assuage the Trinidad and Tobago public that, although Carnival is not as usual this year, it doesn’t have to be completely canceled.
In this special installment, a selection of ten film festival favourites over the years will be available for free streaming worldwide for a duration of 24 hours each. A preliminary schedule has since been released naming local favourites such as “No Bois Man No Fraid”, “Pan! Our Music Odyssey”, and “Bazodee” to be featured over the eight-day period, even including a virtual panel discussion to hold space for those that aren’t able to be carried out in person.
via #WatchAMovieOnUs
Each movie’s individual stream will be activated at 00:00 (AST) on its corresponding day, and run until midnight or 00:00 of the following day. The presentation of this collection is a unique event, specifically set up to educate and celebrate the traditions of Carnival in a safe and socially-distanced manner. Viewing is accessible to viewers worldwide and free of charge via the ttff website at https://ttfilmfestival.com/watchamovieonus. With innovative and imaginative solutions and substitutions for fêtes and frontline costumes (sigh) such as this one being dreamed up as days go on, Carnival lovers near and far can gain some comfort in the notion that, perhaps, all is not lost just yet.