CARIBBEAN TALES FILM FESTIVAL TO GIVE LAVWAY IT'S CANADIAN DEBUT
LavWay is the only way to enjoy Trinidad's Carnival in the theatre
During the carnival season in Toronto a day doesn’t go by without me being asked “what is it about you that you love Carnival so much?” I haven’t had an answer as to why I consider Carnival the best live show on earth, that is until I saw the movie Lavway: Our Story.
It is a magical movie made by devotees of the Caribbean arts and released in Port-of-Spain back in February, 2021. You won’t see this on Netflix, this feature is aimed primarily at a Caribbean audience and carnival friendly North Americans. This is an hour-long explosion of colour, music, costumes, dancing and dark mystical stories about all things Carnival.
It helps to know a little about the traditions of the annual T&T carnival before you buy your ticket for the film’s September 8th Canadian premier. This is a film has been made not to teach but to entertain.
“This is an experimental film based on traditions of Trinidad’s unique Carnival,” writes director Ryan Gibbon. The film harnesses the energy of the mas and is a rousing ode to the origins and rituals of the festival, awash in mysticism, vibrant colour and pulsating soca music.
So, what is it all about? First understand the title, Lavway is the Trinidadian word for the call and response chants used when working or marching. It also refers to the chants used to cheer on stickfighters (a T&T martial art imported from India centuries ago). Over the course of the film we see see stickfighters, in scenes that look more like a soca ballet thaa a deadly duel with mansized weapons.
Weaving through the storyline are traditional carnival parade characters, done up with a pizazz worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. The Bat, Burrokeet, the Dragon, the Midnight Robbers and more are wildly lit and filmed for the most part in a darkened studio. (Unfortunately, the ongoing cultural appropriation of indigenous North American ceremonial clothing continues in this movie. Thankfully the traditional “Chinnie Man pigtailed costume missed the parade).
The introduction to costumed characters, none of whom say a word are made by Savannah, the narrator of the tales.
(Nickolai Salcedo left)
According to the film company, Savannah is an omnipresent character that finds himself in different everyday situations casually observing or commenting on what he sees. His costuming reflects his story and the story of T&T throughout. His opening outfit shows hand-painted scenes of the savannah and the brass charms in his beard tell the whole story of Lavway in symbolism.
“The narrator is a mythical shapeshifter, that transcends into various human forms that can be seen in our everyday culture. I chose neutral colors and bright pops juxtaposed with scenes from our everyday life at the savannah on his shirt,” explained the film’s stylist Shandelle Loregnard.
She totally rebuilds the look and image of T&T’s top film actor Nickolai Salcedo. When he starred as Ulrich Cross in the movie Hero, where he was a clean cut, straight back RAF officer who spoke in WW2 Queen’s English. In this movie, he has a nose ring, feral beard and clothes befitting a mystic man.”
There are many of T&T’s top soca performers singing solo, backed by a stage filled with drummers. The singers’ costumes and makeup have been worked over by a team of the island’s best. I could have used identifying titles on screen because I couldn’t recognize the new Destra, Voice, Patrice Roberts, Preedy, and Nailah Blackman because they looked like I have never seen them before – flawlessly stunning.
Best song of the evening? David Rudder’s High Mas,(sung by College Boy Jesse) that song’s title becomes a play on words that give a linkage between the hot passion of Carnival and the cool soul of the Church.
This is not a movie that has been made by a film maker trying to transform the parade into cinema. No, film maker Ryan Gibbon teamed up the Tribe mas band to make cinema an integral part of the carnival experience. It should be required viewing every August 1st in Toronto.
The movie gets its Canadian debut at the 17th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF). The festival runs from September 7th to September 23rd at the Carlton Cinema in downtown Toronto.
When I go I will be sitting at the front because I know people will be dancing in the aisles from start to finish. And next year, when somebody asks me why I love Carnival, I am going to swoon and give them a DVD of this film.
I hate to end on a sour note, but, but, one wishes the Carib Beer could not just take pride in sponsoring the film rather than try to steal every scene with its product placement (and Carib is my fav brew)!
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