SUNDAY 1ST MARCH, 2015 – UWI TODAY
5
OUR CAMPUS
Yao Ramesar’s feature film
Haiti Bride
, a Haiti/Trinidad
and Tobago co-production was selected in the feature film
competition at the Pan African Film&Television Festival of
Ouagadougou (FESPACO) the oldest and largest film festival
in Africa, which ran from Feb 28 to March 1.
For the first time in the festival’s history, diaspora
films were included in the main competition where they
were vying for the
Etalon de Yennenga
– Africa’s major film
award.
The 20 features include the 2015 Oscar nominee,
Timbuktu
, along with the latest movies from many of the
masters of contemporary African cinema. It is an historic
first for Haiti/Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean, and African
diaspora cinema. FESPACO takes place every two years in
the capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa.
Since its inception in 1969, the festival’s goal has
been to “contribute to the expansion and development
of African cinema as means of expression, education and
awareness-raising.” FESPACO is the largest cultural event
on the African continent, its elaborate opening and closing
ceremonies and prominence for the African film industry,
has caused it to be dubbed Africa’s Oscars.”
Ramesar began production on his first feature on the
African continent,
Shade
, in July 2014 and is also developing
a romantic feature to be shot in Accra, Tamale & Kumasi in
Ghana along with a handful of other projects.
Haiti Bride
was funded in part by a grant fromThe UWI
and world premiered at the University’s Film Programme.
The film’s inception was also at The UWI, when Ramesar
had a chance meeting with Haitian exchange student,
Tahina Vatel, whom he cast as the bride. The first screen
tests, writing and pre-production were located at the St.
Augustine campus at a time when the University was home
to Haitian students whose education had been disrupted by
the earthquake.
Haiti Bride
follows Marie Therese whose parents fled
Haiti for New York after the removal of President Aristide,
and Paul, a young Haitian who visits New York.
She wants to marry him and re-settle in Haiti, he wants
to re-settle in the US. They compromise and the wedding is
set for Haiti on the afternoon of January 12, 2010 – the day
and time of the earthquake.
Historic Selection for CaribbeanCinema
Marie Therese (Tahina Vatel) and Paul (Lentz Durand) visit
Du Croix beach, one of the planned location spots of their
honeymoon.
The first screen tests, writing
and pre-production were located
at the St. Augustine campus at
a time when the University was
home to Haitian students whose
education had been disrupted by
the earthquake.
Paul and
Natasha
catch up in a
moment of
intimacy after
a long time
apart.
Photos courtesy Yao Ramesar
