For those of us film enthusiasts out there, there is almost at least one film festival happening in your country in the Caribbean. For the luckier ones, maybe even up to three per year. Although we may not be able to list

all, in each Caribbean country, throughout our film week we’ll give you a list of 10 film festivals in the Caribbean.

To kick things off we’re going to start with our own home country, Jamaica. Luckily for us, we have up to three film festivals that we were able to find in our research. However, some of them haven’t been put on since 2013! Yikes, but we’re still going to include them in this listing and share some of their experiences from the previous events. Let’s get started!!

1)      Jamaica International Reggae Film Festival

– Although the last known date for this event was in 2013, it is said to be a very well supported event. Starting in February, 2008, the aim of the organizers has always been to create a platform for films, whether documentary, narrative or music videos that feature our reggae music and Jamaican culture. It was presented by the Jamaica Film Academy, a non-government organization (NGO) funded by private sector sponsorship. What started out as a three-day festival quickly became a five-night festival which brought in filmmakers, directors and screenwriters from all over the world. 

2)      Jamaica Film Festival

– This four-day festival gives you insight into the contagious Jamaican culture, featuring the works of the best in our film industry. Not only does it showcase local and international movies, it also features a music day which incorporates a reggae concert and music workshops. This festival was held this year at the Pegasus hotel (July 11-17, 2016).  Although it was stationed at the hotel, other mini-events were held at sports bars such as Cuddyz, Tracks and Records and Triple Century.

3)      Gatffest Film Festival

– From our standpoint, this festival is quite interesting, because it focuses mainly on emerging filmmakers. Stemming from the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Community Film Project, it features the art work of the graduates from the film programme and also showcases work from local and international filmmakers. The result is local as well as international viewers. It is a four-night festival which starts off with an invitation only opening night, and ends with the red carpet awards ceremony. This year’s festival ran from June 23 through to June 26 with venues such as Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, Courtleigh Auditorium, Mona Visitor’s Lodge and Conference Centre, UWI Western Jamaica Campus and Wesford Hotel. For more information on the UWI Community Film Project feel free to check out their

website.

Be sure to keep up to date with

teenAGE this week as we continue our list of film festivals in the Caribbean as well as talk to you about the film industry in Jamaica. We’ll also feature many established, and emerging filmmakers, directors and screenwriters! For those film and culture enthusiasts out there we’ll be sure to inform and update on all that is art in Jamaica.