Mas Model At the Door of the Caribbean Tales Film Festival greets Open Night Guests

 The Curtain Rises, The Show is About to Start. Cue Marcus Garvey’ Ghost

       Greeter in Mas costume welcomes people to the start of the CTRR opeing party

By Stephen Weir

Caribbean Camera Sept. 4 If all went well last night, after The Caribbean Camera was put to bed, the 19th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF) is now well underway. Get ready, Toronto— from now until late night on Sunday, September 25th, the city will be buzzing with virtual movies, short films, and several not-to-be-missed in-person events.

This is not your typical film festival. Unlike previous years, most of the 50 or so movies, short films, and television shows will be screened online. However, there are still several in-person events that are expected to pack the Harbourfront Centre’s film theatre and the CTFF West Studio at their Dundas Street West headquarters.

Last night’s opening was held at the CTFF Hub, featuring films from Canada, St. Lucia, and France, including the documentary Brave. This 25-minute film tells the story of Cébé, a modest housekeeper living in France, who returns to Haiti to perform a ceremony she should have completed 24 years ago, following the death of her mother, a Vodou priestess.

The Caribbean Camera was granted early access to watch the first episode of Garvey’s Ghost, a Canadian-made television show scheduled for its world premiere at CTFF’s Opening Night.

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. In this new TV show, created by the Festival’s Founder Frances-Anne Solomon, a young Denham Jolly arrives in Toronto in 1995 and boards at the rooming house of Violet Williams, Lady President of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association. The show captures the boarding house experience that many new Caribbean immigrants endured in the 20th century.

The interactions between Jolly and the strong-willed homeowner Miss Violet are especially funny if you’ve ever met the real-life Denham Jolly. Played by Richard Walters (Degrassi), the character arrives in Canada naïve, timid, and very subservient around Miss Violet Williams (Melanie Nicholls-King) and her daughters. The six-part series is supported by the Bell Fund, Ontario Creates, and the Canada Media Fund, and is a must-see.

Want to attend a birthday party? The next live event for CTFF takes place Saturday night at Harbourfront Centre, where Jean Augustine, Canada’s first Black woman Member of Parliament, will celebrate her 87th birthday with an evening of film and music alongside the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival audience.

“The highlight of the evening will be the screening of Iconography: Mungal Patasar, a documentary directed by Mikhail Gibbings and Teneka Mohammed. The film chronicles the life and work of Indo-Trinidadian musician Mungal Patasar, renowned for his unique fusion of the sitar and steelpan, blending Eastern and Western musical traditions. Patasar, who resides in Trinidad, will be present at the screening, accompanied by his pannist, Professor Harold Headly, for a special live performance,” wrote Caribbean Camera arts reporter Lincoln DePardine in last week’s paper.

The evening will end with a toast to Jean at this ticketed film/birthday/live music event.

The next live events include a night of LGBT films next Friday at the Festival’s Hub, followed on Saturday by a 7:30 pm showcase of standout Caribbean short films. It all culminates with the Gala Awards Night on Sunday, September 15th.

There are many more Caribbean movies to watch online via your phone, computer, or other communication devices from September 4th-30th. This year’s theme, HOME, explores self-care, healing, and the preservation of Caribbean traditions through the lens of home and sanctuary. “This year’s films offer powerful insights into the vital connection between our cultural roots and personal well-being, capturing the essence of resilience and renewal within the diaspora,” says the CTFF. “Watch it online.”