News Americas, Toronto Canada, Sat. Sept. 9, 2017: Three new, original Caribbean TV pilots have their world premiere screenings at the 12th CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) in Toronto, Canada, this September. BattleDream Chronicles, an Animated TV Show, HEAT, and CaribbeanGrlNYC are the result of an ongoing partnership between the CaribbeanTales Media Group, the world’s largest distributor of Caribbean audio-visual content, and Flow, the Caribbean’s leading telecoms and media content provider.
Produced by CaribbeanTales for Flow, the three pilots will air exclusively on Flow’s flagship entertainment network, Flow 1, later this year across the Caribbean.
The pilots focus on Caribbean themed content: BattleDream Chronicles is the Region’s first Afro-futurist Animation series created by director, producer and writer Alain Bidard; HEAT is a steamy Bajan drama written and directed by internationally acclaimed Barbadian/British director and writer Menelik Shabazz; while CaribbeanGrlNYC by Guadeloupean creator and director Mariette Monpierre, — best known for her award-winning 2011 film, Elza — is a female-driven sitcom set in the Big Apple.
All three directors are alumni of the renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator Program (CTI), which is now in its eighth year. From its inception, the CTI has been a training and development platform and launch pad for over eighty Caribbean-themed projects and producers. And since last year, the CTI has partnered with Flow to produce three (3) original series Pilots a year and develop homegrown content for Caribbean audiences.
“We are rewriting the script on support for local and regional content,” said John Reid, CEO of Cable & Wireless, operator of Flow and lead sponsor of the CTFF and CTI. “The Caribbean has always had talented filmmakers; what it has lacked is a support system that enables skills development, assistance in production and distribution, and ultimately the opportunity to monetize content. Through our partnership with CaribbeanTales, we are changing this, helping to transform the Caribbean film industry and showcase its talent to the world,” he said.
BattleDream Chronicles made its world debut on September 6, 2017 at the Gala Opening of CTFF2017, featuring legendary St. Lucian actor, Joseph Marcell, best known for his role as Geoffrey the Butler in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air; Barbadian Queen of Soca, artiste Alison Hinds; Sheldon Shepherd, star of the award-winning 2010 Jamaican drama, Better Mus’ Come; Leonie Forbes, Jamaica’s multi-award-winning actress and icon; Nickolai Salcedo, prominent Trinidadian actor and musician; and Guyana’s up-and-coming star, Nuriyyih Gerrard, in the show’s leading role.
HEAT will be screened on September 13 at the CTFF 2017 special Menelik Shabazz Tribute, sponsored by the Consulate General of Barbados, Toronto. The evening’s special guests will include Menelik Shabazz, and TIFF’s Artistic Director, Cameron Bailey.
And, on September 20, 2017 at CTFF2017’s CINEFAM: Women Creators of Colour Night, the spotlight will shine on women of colour directors, creators and actresses with the screening of CaribbeanGrlNYC.
