HFF 2019 - Hairouna Film Festival

category: Short Documentary, Vincy

Hairouna, Land of the Blessed

A young man who spent his life speaking English and learning the British version of his story, sets off on a journey to learn his ancestral language.

Directed by Akley Olton
Akley Olton is a filmmaker and visual artist from St. Vincent & the Grenadines with a love for cinematic storytelling that inspires and provokes. He has worked on projects in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, London, El Salvador, Honduras, Canada and Ghana.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 9 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 30 | Flowt Beach Bar, Ratho Mill

category: Short Films, Vincy

Spirit Breakout

This short film is an interesting window into the omnipotent eye of the creator. Peering at and through the lives of many. The demand as heard in the popular gospel refrain is to establish a kingdom here for God’s spirit to rule. Even when mankind has its plans - Gods plans reign supreme.

Directed by Lesroy Arthur and Alex Barnwell
It all started as a hobby for this Vincentian film maker, but this hobby soon became a business product. Fross, who is self-taught, decided to pursue his skill and formed his company FrossFilms after one of his productions grossed over 5 million views on YouTube. His clientele now boasts local, regional, international productions & cooperate entities.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 9 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Caribbean, Short Films

After Mas

After Mas is a short film from Trinidadian filmmaker Karen Martinez. It tells the story of a love that flourishes during J’ouvert in Port-of-Spain. Shot in Trinidad in February 2013 during Carnival, we experience the charge of this bacchanalian drama before following the characters return to their separate lives. Can these young lovers from very different backgrounds stay true to their desires?

Directed by Karen Martinez
Karen Martinez is a Trinidadian who has produced and directed several documentaries. She won Best Short Award at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2013 and won the Caribbean Spirit Award at The Caribbean Tales Festival in Toronto. She is currently working on her first feature-length film.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2016 | English | 20 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay

category: Feature Films

Bad Lucky Goat

After accidentally killing a bearded goat with their father’s truck, two feuding teens embark on a journey of reconciliation. Corn and Rita must find a way to repair the truck in time to pick up the tourists who will be staying at their family’s hotel. As they struggle to find the means necessary to conceal the accident, the siblings will visit a butcher, rastafari drum-makers, a pawn shop and even a witch doctor, in a 24-hour adventure around Port Paradise.

Directed by Samir Oliveros
Samir Oliveros was born in Bogota, Colombia in June 1990. He studied film direction at the School Of Visual Arts in NY. After graduation, he launched a Kickstarter campaign that was successfully funded with just over 60K dollars, to shoot his first feature “Bad Lucky Goat,” shot in Old Providence in the Colombian Caribbean.

Colombia | 2017 | English Creole | 76 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 22 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Short Films, Vincy

When It Rains

When a struggling mother receives news that her family is to be evicted from their home, she falls seriously ill. On top of that her eldest son has decided to leave the family for a life in the mountains. The siblings feel like things can’t possibly get worse. But as the saying goes “When it rains, it pours”. Can this family reunite to defend its own?

Script by: David ‘Darkie’ Williams / film shot by ‘Camp Innovate iT’
Camp Innovate iT was a three-week workshop held in 2012 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to empower young Vincentians through the art of filmmaking. The initiative was funded by the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association & Worldview in partnership with several UK filmmakers.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2012 | English | 13 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Short Films, Vincy

Unbind

Constantly harassed and annoyed by people around him, a young man unleashes his “secret” in hopes of escape.

Directed by Javed DeSouza
Javed DeSouza is inspired by his love of theatre and started making films 2016. He works within the genres of drama, suspense and comedy, making use of visual effects influenced by his love of anime. Javed always strives to convey a positive message through his films.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 3 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Caribbean, Short Films

This City of Mine

A young woman struggles to navigate Kingston’s public transportation system and some harassing encounters, all while trying to make it to her first day of work on time.

Directed by Danielle Russell
Danielle Russell is an independent filmmaker whose short films and documentaries have been internationally showcased. With a B.A. in Radio Journalism and an M.F.A in Film and TV Production, her professional experience spans multiple media platforms and languages. She is presently a lecturer of Storytelling and Scriptwriting at University of Technology, Jamaica.

Jamaica | 2017 | English/Jamaican Patois | 13 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 24 | Sharpes Playing Field
MARCH 25 | SVG Community College
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay

category: Short Films, Vincy

Unexpectedly Incredible

It’s an ordinary babysitting gig for Christie, in fact, this kid-client of hers is a regular. However, things turn into the unexpected as the night’s plans fail having not known a very important detail.

Directed by Tolga Akcayli
Tolga Akcayli From the age of 9, Tolga has been making home-movies with his friends. Thinking the Caribbean had no opportunities for local filmmakers, he opted to study Law & Economics. He dropped out of 3 universities and finally accepted his true passion. He attended the New York Film Academy and is presently finishing a feature film.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 4 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground

category: Short Films, Vincy

The Journey to Tropical Realism

Calvert Jones is a well-known painter in his home country and throughout the Caribbean mainly for his unique style involving the use of vibrant colors; a style he calls ‘Tropical Realism‘. In this promotional video he seeks to relive his journey from a young boy drawing in his books to the successful artist he is today.

Directed by Dante Ollivierre
Dante Ollivierre is a freelance filmmaker with extensive experience in photography and animation. Originally hailing from the community of Mesopotamia, his passion for filmmaking ignited in 2014. He’s been in love with film ever since.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 1 minute

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field
APRIL 20 | The Almond Tree, Bequia

category: Caribbean, Short Films

The Fire Queen

Tilly and Ska – a white girl and black boy – find love amidst political unrest all while Tilly learns to control her supernatural power.

Directed by Damian Marcano
Damian Marcano is from Morvant/ Laventille in east Port-Of-Spain. When Marcano was 8 years old he migrated to the US. He later enrolled at Ohio State University intending to study medicine. Instead, he moved to New York and became a web design programmer, then entered the world of filmmaking. Marcano made his first film 'The Little Boy and the Ball' in 2011 and is currently living in Los Angeles.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2018 | English | 15 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 30 | Flowt Beach Bar, Ratho Mill

category: Caribbean, Short Films

The Deliverer

When a desperate fisherman fails to stop a corrupt government from destroying his village, he brokers a deal with a drug runner to save his village by trafficking drugs between Trinidad and Venezuela.

Directed by Paul Pryce
Paul Pryce is a Trinidadian actor, writer and producer. He's acted in Marvel’s 'Jessica Jones' on Netflix, 'Unforgettable' on A+E, as well as performing in plays such as Hamlet, Julius Caesar and Othello. As a writer/ producer he’s screened in Toronto, Cannes, and Trinidad and Tobago. Paul is a graduate from the Yale School of Drama program.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2017 | English | 14 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay
APRIL 20 | The Almond Tree, Bequia

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Sugar

A young black Jamaican girl from the underclass and on the brink of womanhood works at a Jamaican resort where she witnesses tourists’ affluence on a daily basis. As the de facto breadwinner for her very large family, she faces a crisis of conscience, when a tourist couple seems to be the answer to her financial predicament.

Directed by Michelle Serieux
Michelle Serieux is a filmmaker and actress local to St Lucia and Jamaica, working in fiction, non-fiction and new media. Her work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, Chicken and Egg Pictures, Women Make Movies, The Alter-Cine Foundation, Maine Media Workshops and a Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival documentary development workshop.

Jamaica | 2016 | English, Jamaican Patois | 18 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 30 | Flowt Beach Bar, Ratho Mill
APRIL 20 | The Almond Tree, Bequia

category: Short Films, Vincy

Space for a Heart

A homeless man attempts to reconnect to his troubled past by collecting trash from the streets of Port of Spain to build a vessel.

Directed by Nadia Huggins
Nadia Huggins is a visual artist from St. Vincent and the Grenadines working primarily in photography and video. Her work explores identity, memory and place through people, self-portraits, and the landscape.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2018 | English | 5 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Short Drop

Bartholomew, a retired civil servant, takes a leisurely drive downtown, where Shanice, mistakes his car for a taxi. After resisting, he agrees to take her to her destination. Along the way, they encounter a diversity of Trinidadian characters, from crossdresser Hott Pepper to gang member Tan Tan. The band of strangers unite through this impromptu taxi ride, fulfilling Bartholomew’s desire for connection.

Directed by Maya Cozier
After graduating from the School of Visual Arts NY with a degree in film, Maya Cozier returned to her home country, Trinidad, to write and direct her first feature film 'She Paradise'. Production is set to start in 2019. Maya has screened work internationally winning awards at film festivals in Curacao and Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2017 | English | 28 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 25 | SVG Community College
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay
APRIL 21 | The Plantation House, Bequia

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Salty Dog

When the rug is pulled from under his feet, a savvy old salt must navigate the stormy waters of his relationship with his estranged son. As tensions flare between the two, the son checks out retirement homes for his father.

Directed by Oliver Milne
Oliver Milne is a Trinidadian filmmaker who has worked in the US, Canada, Bermuda, Grenada and T+T. Since graduating from the Vancouver Film School in 2009, he has worked on many commercials, music videos, documentaries, short films and feature films. He has directed films such as 'Traffic' and his latest, 'Salty Dog'.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2017 | English | 26 minutes

SHOWING ON
APRIL 20 | The Almond Tree, Bequia

category: Experimental, Vincy

Pathways

Pathways is a performance piece, an ongoing exploration of the constant motion of life. The piece was created as part of a week-long residency at WHOA gallery in Copenhagen Denmark. It is a collaboration between Samuel and Eniye.

Directed: Eniye Kagbala and Samuel Doeuk
Samuel Doeuk is a filmmaker and visual artist based in London. His work confronts issues surrounding identity and underground subcultures across documentary, fashion film and music video.

3NIY3 is a sonic artist working in moving image, performance and sound. The artist creates works that explore themes on womanhood, life cycles, spirituality and politics through a surrealist lens.

UK/St Vincent & the Grenadines | 2017 | English | 6 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Parish Bull

Michael is the PARISH BULL! Confident, charming and without scruples, Michael is not afraid to make his bed, but he may be afraid to lay in it.

Directed by Michael Tingling
Michael Tingling was born in 1972 in rural Jamaica. At 17 he moved to Kingston where in later years he became known as Ras Tingle. In 2007 he and business-partner Danielle Desulme started a production house called TD FILMS. Upcoming projects include documentaries and television programmes aimed to empower and uplift young people.

Jamaica | 2016 | English, Jamaican Patois | 21 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 30 | Flowt Beach Bar, Ratho Mill

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Oseyi and the Masqueraders

A young boy comes of age when he conquers his fear of the Carnival costumes of his village, and learns two family secrets.

Dominica | 2018 | English | 27 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 25 | SVG Community College

category: Short Films, Vincy

My Life You Ask

A short film that looks at stigmas, labels and misconceptions people face in the Caribbean. Set on the island of Bequia in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, our story is told through the self-reflective monologue of a young woman living with stigma. A docu-drama hybrid, the film utilizes real stories creating one collective voice of inspiration and promise.

Directed by The Hub Collective
This film was produced by The Hub Collective’s film students. The Hub Collective Inc. is a Vincentian non-profit organization providing creative, entrepreneurial and self-development opportunities, as well as promoting their talent and creations. Their Creative Arts Centre is based in Port Elizabeth, Bequia. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @thehubcollective

St Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 8 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field
APRIL 20 | The Almond Tree, Bequia
APRIL 21 | The Plantation House, Bequia

category: Short Films, Vincy

Kingstown: A Short Film

From the barbershops, minibuses, fishermen and people having fun during and after work hours, 'Kingstown- A Short Film' is a cross-section of life and activity in St. Vincent’s capital city, Kingstown.

Directed by Kamillo Edwards
Kamillo Edwards is a self-taught photographer, cinematographer and graphic designer. He fully realized his love for creating in March 2015. Since then he’s done projects locally and internationally. He decided to pursue his dream full-time on March 31, 2017, when he quit his job. He later founded his company, KB Pixels, on February 2, 2018.

St Vincent & the Grenadines| 2018 | English | 4 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Short Documentary, Vincy

Kalinago Episode 4: The Resurrect

To keep one’s history alive, it must be nurtured. Augustine “Sardo” Sutherland and Frankie “Uncle Pie” Sutherland retrace the steps of their ancestors to highlight their past and help chart a brighter future. With the assistance of the government of SVG’s Forestry Division they build a traditional canoe from a felled tree. A truly amazing journey spanning 6 years of exploration, learning and finding their way.

Directed by Colin Brown
Colin Brown is an avid eater of food who loves creating everything from films to music. Colin is currently documenting St. Vincent and its many powerful stories, told through the honesty of its ambitious inhabitants.

St Vincent & the Grenadines| 2018 | English | 5 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Going Down

A woman and her boyfriend, her husband and his mistress find themselves in a very awkward situation: trapped in a hotel elevator together. When the elevator breaks down leaving them stuck in the darkness, the woman, Marjorie, and her husband, Dan, are forced to confront the reality of their relationship.

Directed by Mezan Ayoka
Mezan Ayoka is a Jamaican writer and filmmaker who attended the Los Angeles Film School. She has written and directed short films, including 'Nine Night', 'Ding', 'Grow Jamaica Grow', and 'Going Down'. She founded a peer review screenwriting group and offers script notes and coverage to scripts in the development and pre-production phases.

Jamaica | 2018 | English | 9 minutes

SHOWING ON
APRIL 20 | The Almond Tree, Bequia

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Fish

Two homeless cousins try to survive the streets of Port of Spain as petty thieves. But times are getting harder and the pickings, slim. Will fortune favour the brave? Or will their desperate actions lead to their demise?

Directed by Shaun Escayg
Shaun Escayg is a Trinidadian animator and filmmaker who has had an extensive career in commercials, documentaries and music videos. In 2010 Shaun joined George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic in California, where he is currently employed. 'Fish' was a semi-finalist in the 2012 YouTube Film Festival.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2018 | English | 14 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 30 | Flowt Beach Bar, Ratho Mill

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Flight

‘Flight’ follows a little boy from an inner-city community who dreams of becoming an astronaut.

Directed by Kia Moses
Kia Moses left Jamaica to major in Advertising at The School Of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York. In 2007 she graduated with Honours and multiple awards. After working at ad agencies in New York and London she returned home with a passion to pour everything back into the Jamaican creative industry.

Jamaica | 2018 | English | 13 minutes

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Cross My Heart

An American teenager visits her family in Jamaica and uncovers a secret that changes the way she sees the people she loves. This film explores the culture of silence amongst women, the kinds of secrets we keep and who they are actually protecting.

Directed by Sontenish Myers
Sontenish Myers is a Caribbean-American writer-director based in Harlem, NY. Her genre-crossing work explores racial identity, womanhood, power dynamics, and the heroic journey.

USA, Jamaica | 2018 | English | 14 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 25 | SVG Community College
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay

category: Caribbean, Short Films

Captureland

A short film by Nabil Elderkin inspired by the life of Nelson Mandela, and the song “CAPTURE LAND,” by Jamaican artist Chronixx. The film follows Tacky, a young man recently released from prison. As Tacky navigates life on the outside he takes a profound step toward embracing his African ancestry. CAPTURE LAND, was shot in early November 2014 in Port Royal, Kingston.

Directed by Nabil Elderkin
Nabil Elderkin is a director and photographer raised in Australia, currently living in Los Angeles. He has created visuals on a variety of media platforms from advertising campaigns to magazine editorials, artist branding, books, music videos and film.

Jamaica/US | 2018 | English | 16 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 24 | Sharpes Playing Field
MARCH 28 | Barrouallie Playground
MARCH 29 | Chappy's Bar, Sandy Bay

category: Caribbean, Documentary Feature

Breaking the Cycle

Moving from victim to survivor, Camika, a mother of seven, shares her personal story of how she got the strength and voice to stop the cycle of domestic abuse in her home.

Directed by Miquel Galofré
Miquel Galofré is a Spanish documentary filmmaker based in Trinidad. After 20 years working for a TV company called ENDEMOL, he decided to start making documentaries. Miquel has worked as a director, DP, camera operator and editor. With three internationally acclaimed documentaries in Jamaica and more than 20 international awards Miquel continues to make empowering films about the Caribbean.

Trinidad & Tobago | 2018 | English | 61 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 24 | Sharpes Playing Field

category: Short Films, Vincy

Black Doll

Black Doll is an intimate picture of a young girl’s relationship with her dolls and her hair, touching on a range of issues including femininity, race, and self-presentation.

Directed by Akley Olton
Akley Olton is a filmmaker and visual artist from St. Vincent & the Grenadines with a love for cinematic storytelling that inspires and provokes. He has worked on projects in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, London, El Salvador, Honduras, Canada and Ghana.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 3 minutes

category: Short Documentary, Vincy

Being a Vincentian Athlete

'Being A Vincentian Athlete' is a 4 part series profiling 4 different young Vincentian athletes currently on scholarship in New York City. The series speaks to the challenges and joys involved in being a student-athlete and living in the Diaspora in New York.

Directed by Aiko Roudette
Aiko Roudette is a Vincentian filmmaker who works primarily as an editor and videographer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Production and a Master’s Degree in Media Studies with a focus in documentary filmmaking. Aiko's work focuses primarily on aspects relating to social issues, culture and representation. She's shown work in festivals internationally including Toronto, New York, Trinidad, London, Nevis, Aruba and Curacao.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 8 minutes

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field
MARCH 25 | SVG Community College

category: Short Films, Vincy

Bamboo Joint

'Bamboo Joint' is one in a series of films about “Boy Days” in St. Vincent. This series seeks to address a disappearing culture of togetherness and unity in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For those who have had similar boy-hood experiences, the series is intended to reignite a happy nostalgia for the good old days. For others it should urge reconnection with youthful experience.

Directed by Shadique Gill
Shadique Gill is the founder of Picazs Media and one of the founders of Island Shak Entertainment. He works as a videographer, photographer and cinematographer. Originally from Georgetown he spent much of his boy days in Belmont. He has a passion for story-telling and filmmaking.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 2018 | English | 32 seconds

SHOWING ON
MARCH 23 | Calliaqua Playing Field

category: Documentary Feature

Songs of Redemption

At the general penitentiary in Kingston, where inmates are serving sentences for crimes as serious as murder, a remarkable experiment is taking place. Through the progressive vision of the prison’s former superintendent, a rehabilitation scheme has been implemented that involves inmates creating and recording reggae music. Featuring riveting interviews and moving live performances, 'Songs of Redemption' is an uplifting testament to the healing, even transformative power of music.

Directed by Miquel Galofré, Amanda Sans Pantling
Miquel Galofré is a Spanish documentary filmmaker based in Trinidad. After 20 years working for a TV company called ENDEMOL, he decided to start making documentaries. Miquel has worked as a director, DP, camera operator and editor. With three internationally acclaimed documentaries in Jamaica and more than 20 international awards Miquel continues to make empowering films about the Caribbean.

NOT FOR PUBLIC VIEWING
MARCH 26 | Belle Isle Correctional Facility