Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  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...

But Wait it isn’t Over (if You Have Access to the Internet) If you don't mind watching movies on your Iphone, Ipad or computer, there is good news. The annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF) didn't end on Sunday. While the curtain has fallen for films shown at the Harbourfront, there are still movies to watch on the CTFF website for the next week. On Sunday evening, the final live screening for CTFF took place at the Harbourfront Centre theatre. The three-film lineup included "Dolapo is Fine," a 15-minute short about women’s haair from the UK; "Behind the Blue" as in the Blue Devils from Trinidad & Tobago; and "Yubism: Life and Art of Yubi Kirindongo" from Curacao. "All three films were wonderful... the first had you cheering for Dolapo, and the last two made you want to visit the countries to experience what you just saw in person," reported film fan Dorothy Abbott. "And those wonderful Oxtail Empanadas (served in the lob...

  Soca. Calypso. Helping Children. Its Roy Cape, and he has the Jean Augustine Trophy to Prove it Two film festivals are taking place in Toronto simultaneously this week. Where do you think the paparazzi and cameras (except ours) were on this past Saturday night when celebrities like Sean Penn, Willem Dafoe, Spike Lee, Lil Nas X, Nickelback, and Viggo Mortensen were spotted on King Street? Well, most readers probably already know the answer. The world's attention was focused on Saturday night TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). It's a shame because they missed the opportunity to cover a historic Caribbean evening at the CTFF (Caribbean Tales Film Festival) a few blocks away. Call it a Big People Party that combined a birthday fete for the famed retired Grenadian Canadian politician Jean Augustine, the showing of a Trinidadian documentary about saxophonist Roy Cape, an award presentation and a live wild performance by Ozzie Gurley which ended with two of his brass sectio...

DON’T BE GLUM THE CTFF IS ENDING ON A BLUE NOTE  This Sunday night’s audience that catches the documentary, "Behind the Blue," as it closes out the annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival should yell out "Encore." Hopefully, director Kenderson Noray will hear the call and give it another Toronto run (around 2024 Carnival time, please).   Behind the Blue  is the history of the Paramin Blue Devil. It is a film all about the Blue Devil bands who continue to tell their stories of triumphs and failures while scaring the living daylights out of those not in the know.  Both in Trinidad and Toronto, the Blue Devil has taken part in the Jab Jab J’ouvert. But here in Toronto, their role has diminished at the annual carnival, and many don't understand why they dance and preenion the parade blue route.   “The Blue Devil in competition always appears as a pair - The King Devil and the minion who restrains the devil from the world,” Noray told the media before a screen...

CTFF CONTINUES THIS EVENING WITH A RAP STAR AND A PUERTO RICO SEA GODDESS Garcia shoots Daughter of the Sea The party started last night with the opening night of Caribbean movies and happy fans. The 18th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival kicked off its 16 day run at the Harbourfront Centre. If you are reading this and it is Thursday, put down the paper and order tickets for tonight now because CTFF’s Day 2 might be a sell-out. It happens this evening at 7 pm back at Harbourfront. Tonight’s theme is "Standout Shorts," featuring eight short films that explore various aspects of Caribbean culture, from a movie about a Caribbean Sea Goddess to a Black British, Black and White Duppy. Director/Writer Alexia Garcia right The Caribbean Camera's top pick of the night is "Daughter of the Sea," a Puerto Rican colour film. After the death of her grandfather, a young woman experiences a spiritual awakening when she is called by Yemaya, the orisha Goddess of the Sea. The ...

  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...