Caribbean Tales Film Festival ends tonight

 Open the Door and Where are all the People

by stephen weir

If it wasn’t for the model in a sexy Mas costume standing in the window of the Caribbean Tales Film Festival’s Dundas Street West storefront, you wouldn’t know that inside, new movies and short films were being shown in what looks like an old store then a movie theatre. Dubbed the CTFF Hub, the space was used last Thursday night for the Wednesday night launch of the 19th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival. Judging from the size of the audience, Caribbean Camera wasn’t the only one that had trouble finding the Dundas Street location (near Bathurst).

In years past, the opening night of the CTFF was something you wouldn’t miss if you were in the neighborhood of the designated movie theatre or Harbourfront. Loud music, models and TV crews, mainstream media, and even the odd TIFF refugee were present. Big names, from the Mighty Sparrow to Machel, made a point of being out on the street with the rest of us, waiting to get in and watch Caribbean films on the big screen.

That wasn’t the case this year. The 2024 event did not have a big street party; instead, only dozens, not hundreds, showed up to watch the Caribbean films. No plush theatre seats, no theatre screen, and no air conditioning. No big names, not even the festival founder dropped by.

There was a full slate of good short films to watch, but there wasn’t a full-length feature shown on a theatre-sized screen, nor were there padded movie house seats to relax in. Instead, in what was probably an old meeting room, there were 60 or so office chairs in front of a small screen. The films weren’t projected; they appeared thanks to a laptop that had several breakdowns on opening night.

The opening featured films from Canada, St. Lucia, and France/Haiti. One 25-minute film tells the story of Cébé, a modest housekeeper living in France, who returns to Haiti to perform a Voodoo service for her late mother.

One Canadian film, A Letter from the Fathers by Tristan Barrocks, got tears, cheers, and an overall tremendous response from the 60 or so people who attended the screening and reception.

The theatre in the Hub had room for only a handful of watchers

A Letter from the Fathers captures the highs and lows of four men’s fatherhood journeys, exploring how parenting shapes both children and the men who become dads, through laughter, tears, and profound reflections. One of the fathers in the movie was at the launch and was in high demand for pictures and brief interviews by the social media journalists in attendance.

The last showing of the night was the first episode of a new Caribbean Canadian TV series called Garvey’s Ghost. Garvey’s Ghost is a comedy based on the life of Denham Jolly, the man who launched Flow Radio and was a prominent figure in many Black activist movements in Toronto. This new TV show was created by the Festival’s founder, Frances-Anne Solomon, who, along with Jolly, did not attend the world premiere. Unfortunately, computer problems marred the airing of the first episode of this new Caribbean Canadian comedy series.

A Letter from the Fathers star is interviewed after the showing

There are still plenty of events to enjoy before the CaribbeanTales Film Festival ends on Sunday.

Friday at CTFF 2024: The festival will feature a ticketed LGBTQ+ night at the 837 Dundas Street W Hub, from 7:30 to 10:30 PM. This annual Signature Night will showcase the following films:

• Outside Center by Eli Tahchi

• Under the Same Roof by Daniela Rojo

• Still Waters by Katia Café-Fébrissy

• The Fisherman’s Daughter by Edgar de Luque Jácome

Saturday, September 14, 7:30 PM: The festival’s second Signature Night, Standout Shorts, will screen a selection of Caribbean short films at the Hub. The ticketed event includes:

• Trinidad Remains by Karen Martinez

• A Shade of Indigo by Hanif James

• Asema by Loelle Mosanto

Sunday, September 15, 7:30 PM: The CaribbeanTalesInternational Film Festival concludes its 19th edition with the Annual Awards Ceremony at its Dundas St. W headquarters, followed by an evening of stellar screenings. The final screening program includes:

• Over the River Chronicles by Monique Johnson and Clyornique Durrant

• The Draft by Jephté Bastien

• The Life Coach by Afroglobal Television’s Patricia BebiaMawa

As the legendary Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over 'til it's over." CTFF offers a digital component, with 50 films, many feature-length, available online until October 4. Digital passes can be purchased on the festival’s website.

Friday, September 20, 7:30–9:30 PM: The Beaches Sandbox (2181 Queen Street East, Toronto) will host a ticketed wrap-up presentation, featuring standout films from the festival. “This is your last chance to enjoy the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival in person this year. Discover vibrant stories from emerging filmmakers of Caribbean and African heritage practicing their art across the global Caribbean Diaspora,” explained a festival organizer.

A version of my story appeared in Thursday's Caribbean Camera.

pictured - Model in Mas costume greets the incoming audience at the door of the Hub.

Second picture - Not many seats in the Hub

Third - media descends on one of the Fathers who appeared in Toronto documentary about Dads