Activity: Film screening
Co-ordinators: Cine Guyana, Moray House Trust and University of Guyana
Date: 20th April 2012
CINEGUYANA 2011 FILMS
In November 2010 the President of Guyana His Excellency Dr. Bharat Jagdeo created a small grant to stimulate a film making industry in Guyana. He appointed Dr. Paloma Mohamed, Director of the Centre for Communication Studies at the University of Guyana to manage the project which was named The President’s Film Endowment Project 2011.
Between January and July 2011, the experimental project has grown exponentially in its reach and potential through the collaboration of several other formal and informal partners – USAID, Ohio University, the University of Guyana, The Theatre Guild of Guyana and several other private organizations.
The project which was originally designed to fund 5 short films by five independent film makers, morphed into a larger 8 film project which would take the film makers from conceptualization, through script design , through production planning, shooting, editing, post production to a world premiere on July 2, 2011.
There were no limits except those of cost placed on the filmmakers 6 of whom have never made a film before. In total each film had a cast and crew of at least 30 all of whom went through rigorous 4 month training programme of at least 12 hours a day including weekends. The training was designed and delivered by award winning American film maker Brian Zahm, MFA of Ohio University.
The result is an interesting mix of themes and genres all of which are expected to reflect a rich and often minimized Guyanese culture back to Guyanese and hopefully to the wider world.
Since they premiered in Guyana in July 2011, the films have also premiered in New York, Washington, and London. Three of the films have been selected for showing at international films festivals in Barbados and Nigeria.
ABOUT THE FILMS:
1. Hope – 12 minute, drama. Ganesh,the son of a Hindu priest who falls in love with Ayanna destitute Afro- Guyanese dancer. Written and Directed by Shaundell Phillips. It is shot entirely on location in Berbice.
2. The Back yard – 14 minutes. A rising pop star moves in next door to a reclusive geek who makes her fall in love with him on facebook. When she discovers this duplicity sparks fly. Directed by Denis Harris. From a concept by Denis Ward written byTiffany Vazquez and Denise Harris.
3. Three Cards – 12 minutes. This is a family drama about a how far a father will go to save the life of his ailing daughter and how help can sometimes come from the most unexpected places. Written and directed by Michael James. Shot entirely on location in Linden.
4. Tradition – 11 minute cultural fiction. A family is battling with personal loss and the anger that this brings while a young boy is trying to hold on to the traditions of his father and the yearnings of his heart. Directed by Margaret Lawrence and Russell Lancaster. Written by Richard Pitman, Margaret Lawrence, Ayanna Waddell and Russell Lancaster.
5. Beached, 10 minute drama. A man is grappling with the loss of his wife following a fire which claimed everything from him. This is a story of love and redemption written and directed by Kojo McPherson and shot on location at the Kingston Seawall in Georgetown.
6. Luck Beat Handsome, 11 minute comedy. A Rastaman who is down on his luck plays the numbers of his bad events and is able to win and turn his life and that of his family around. Written and directed by Errol Chan. Shot on Location in Rasville, Georgetown and on the East Coast of Demerara.
7. The Encounter, 10 minute camp-horror-comedy. A love starved murderess haunts a hotel room looking for redemption in requited love of a living man. This film is written and directed by veteran film maker Bunny Alves and is shot in Georgetown.
8. The Bottle, 9 minute fable. The daughter of a poor farmer finds the enchanted bottle which contains the Bacoo.The wily creature will grant any wish except he must have the young girls hand in marriage. Written and directed by Smolana Varzwyk. Shot entirely on location in Mahaicony, East Bank Demerara.