Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Brother Here. Brother There. Check out Netflix But Be Quick About It. First, there was the book. Then, there were many book prizes. Next? A movie based on his novel was showcased at TIFF, and it received numerous awards. Earlier, it was screened in theaters across Canada. David Chariandy's Scarborough-based story, "Brother," has made history in both the literary and cinematic realms in Canada. For Canadians who missed out on David Chariandy's "Brother," you have one last chance to discover the phenomenon. Netflix is now streaming the film made in the GTA. However, the streaming service warns that you only have a month to watch it, as the movie will disappear from its catalog on November 21. Chariandy holds the Toronto book prize - sweir pix The film stars Aaron Pierre as Francis and Lamar Johnson as Michael, with supporting cast members including Kiana Madeira, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Lovell Adams-Gray, Maurice Dean Wint, and Dwain Murphy. The screenplay was...

  Yes it over. The theatre is empty. The screen is black. The annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF) has gone dark for the 17 th   time … sort of. Late last week the venerable CTFF announced the winning films in its 2-week downtown Toronto movie fete. And while there were no big surprises in the movies that took top awards (The Caribbean Camera was accurate in our predictions), the CTFF announced that from this week until October 22nd, people can watch virtually all the movies that were screened at the movie marathon.   It is not clear if the 2022 film festival was a success or not – there were certainly excellent films screened and people did come out. But it wasn’t the same festival we have grown to love. After years of showing the film entries at the comfy 400 seat Royal Cinema on College Street,  this year CTFF moved downtown to one of the Carlton Cinema’s smallest and most uncomfortable theatres (150 seats) screens in the building. And while many night...

  Three of the best film festivals’ films in three different venues on three different days but come on, Jamaica is no T&T Why does it just happen in September? Now that all the critics and movie people have seen the best new film festival flicks how do we, the common people get a chance to buy bags of popcorn, sit back in a darkened theatres and watch a trio of amazing movies about the community’s history, its living heroes and of course Carnival. We are talking about a suite of films that have just gotten the red carpet treatment at three different events and venues - the Caribbean Tales Film Festival launch, a Harbourfront star studded 85 th  birthday party / film premier, and a drama about growing up in Malvern which debuted earlier this month at TIFF and shows again at a TIFF repeat  showing next week. These three titles, with one reservation are keepers not just for now but forever.   Toronto Caribbean Carnival: Fun and Free  is an hour-long docum...

--> Brother Can You Spare Me A Dime? By Stephen Weir In terms of prize purses, David Chariandy's novel Brother, is now one of the the most successful Canadian fiction title ever. Last night shortly after the Caribbean Camera went to print, the former Scarborough writer won UK's Windham-Campbell Prize of $165,000 US ($220,000) for his 2017 book about two young Trinidadian brothers growing up in a tough part of Toronto. "I was floored by the news! And for some time, I didn’t dare believe my fortune," said Chariandy last night. "The Windham-Campbell Prize offers a life-changing opportunity to devote time and energy to writing. I am humbled and profoundly grateful to be counted among the recipients." Chariandy grew up in Toronto's diaspora; he now lives and teaches in Vancouver. His debut novel, Soucouyant, was nominated for many prizes and won the Gold Independent Publisher Award for Best Novel.  Brother, his second novel, won ...

Caribbean Camera First With The News About   Chariandy’s big Toronto Book Award win By Stephen Weir Last week, literally 10-minutes before the Caribbean Camera went to press, Trinidadian Canadian author David Chariandy won the prestigious $10,000 2018 Toronto Book Awards.  His book, Brother, is a novel about growing up in Malvern. We were able to get a picture of him accepting his award in the paper --- the only paper to do so on Wednesday night.  We didn’t have room to print our story about his accomplishment. What follows are the details of his amazing win! David Chariandy’s book is a devastating story about the love between a single Trinidadian mother and her sons, the impact of race, masculinity and the senseless loss of young lives in Malvern, in the violent summer of 1991. The winner of the 2018 Toronto Book Awards was announced last Wednesday night at the Toronto Reference Library. This was the 44th year of the Toronto Book Awards. The annual...

DAVID WINS BIG ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT Photo by: Ceta Ramkhalawansingh Story by Stephen Weir  On Wednesday night Trinidadian Canadian writer David Chariandy’s award winning novel, Brother has won thi s year’s Toronto Book Awards. David Chariandy’s book is a devastating story about the love between a mother and her sons, the impact of race, masculinity and the senseless loss of young lives in Scarborough, in the violent summer of 1991. Brother was one of five books on the City of Toronto and Toronto Library‘s 2018 Toronto Book Awards shortlist. Established by Toronto City Council in 1974, the awards honour books of literary merit that are evocative of Toronto. The 2018 shortlist  Dionne Brand “The Unpublished City“  David Chariandy “Brother“  Carrianne Leung “That Time I Loved You“  Lee Maracle “My Conversations with Canadians“  Kerri Sakamoto “Floating City“ The winner of the 2018 Toronto Book Awards was announced last night at the Toro...

Three Short Arts Items That Didn't Make It Into This Week's Caribbean Camera, But are worthy of your attention (I hope) · Calypso Mucho is a modern-day acoustic big-band revue show featuring local performers of West Indian origin, hearkening back to the 20th-century Calypso tent tradition in Trinidad. Calypso Mucho is anchored by SHAK SHAK featuring frontman Roger Gibbs and led by Dr. Chris Wilson, along with special guests Panman Pat, Monty Hama, Susan G, and Garth Blackman.  Also featured is dance and rhythm troupe John Orpheus Wednesday, August 1 8pm Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West · The Toronto Book Awards has released its long list for books in the running for the 2018 $15,000 award. On that longlist is Trinidadian Canadian David Chariandy for his book Brother. The book, which has already won the Writer’s Trust Prize, is a novel about growing up in a poor in Scarborough. The winner of the 2018 Toronto Book Awards will be announced on October 10 at the To...