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...

  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...

Caribbean Canadian writers continue To pen Their own success stories during the Shutdown By Stephen Weir   KAIE KELLOUGH . Back in May of this year  Kaie Kellough  won the richest poetry prize in the land.  The Guyanese Canadian poet Kaie Kellough was awarded the annual $65,000 Griffin Poetry Prize for his book,  Magnetic Equator.  Kellough was born in British Columbia and now lives in Montreal.  His maternal family is originally from Guyana and much of his poetry revolves around that Caribbean heritage and life experiences. Earlier this week Queen’s University’s Creative Writing department announced that Kellough will be the 2020/2021 Writer-in-Residence, beginning in January 2021.  The University is located in Kingston, Ontario. As well he will be in Toronto on October 6th to speak at Harbourfront about his 2020 novel  Dominoes at the Crossroads . In this collection of linked stories from the Caribbean Canadian diaspora. Kellough’s cha...

--> 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 ...

2018 Books in Review – 8 For 18.  By Stephen Weir (original story from edited version in the Caribbean Camera)   Caribbean Canadians and authors who write about Caribbean issues in the Great White North continued to hold their own on the Canadian literature scene this year. From award-winning novels to children’s titles about the black experience, these are top 10 books that book sellers, the media and of course the Caribbean Camera recommend you consider before the clock ticks out on 2018. Esi Wins  - Photo From The Giller Prize 1. WASHINGTON BLACK.   Esi Edugyan’s latest novel is truly the book of the year in Canada, and, is also racking up sales the US and the Caribbean.   No, she isn’t Bajan – the BC writer’s parents are from Ghana -- but she nails 19 th  century slaving Barbados better than anyone else in Canada ever has.   Her most recent novel,  Washington Black , won this year’s $100,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize...