Above: Karen Chapman, who won for her pitch of “Cocoon”
By the Caribbean Journal staff
The CaribbeanTales Toronto Film Showcase has named the award winners of this past weekend’s competition.
This year was the eighth edition of the showcase, which featured 10 feature-length films and 35 shorts in official competition.
“My primary concerns in judging these movies were: how does the film succeed in projecting a cinematic Caribbean tale that deserves to be specially recognized and shared because it harps on the universal longing to break barriers towards valuing cultural diversity and minding gaps? ” said Camilo Antonio, Jury Chair for this year’s Feature Length Awards.
The winners were selected by a jury including Antonio (Chair); Director of Tourism for the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in Canada, Erica Henry Jackman; writer and social media specialist Bridget “Bee” Quammie; documentary filmmaker Melissa Gomez; and, filmmaker and Associate Professor at NYU’s Tisch School, Ian Harnarine.
The winners are listed below:
Best Feature Documentary: Miquel Galofre and Amanda Sans for Songs of Redemption
Best Narrative Feature: Terracino for Elliot Loves
Best Narrative Feature – Special Mention: Mary Wells for Kingston Paradise
Audience Award: Mary Wells for Kingston Paradise
Best Narrative Short (Under 40 minutes): Shirley Bruno for Things I See and Dominique Telemaque for Cinco Minutos Para Mi Pais
Perfect Pitch Award: Karen Chapman for Cocoon