Week Of October 23, 2006 - Mon / Wed / Fri

October 23, 2006

Creating a film festival is no easy thing, especially in an era with around 500 festivals in the United States every year. And last week's journey to Caicos for the 1st Annual Turks & Caicos International Film Festival did nothing to suggest otherwise… starting with this first annual festival being the first only after the failure of another first film festival on the island just two years ago.

I knew as I headed down to the island that the festival, being directed by Jasmine Guy, her husband Terrance Duckette, and Karolyn Ali was to focus on films involving or heavily reliant on music. Okay, interesting idea. But it wasn't until we were down there for a couple of days that Jasmine's concept of the festival became really clear. She wanted to show a film and then have a concert, related by talent or tone, so audiences could luxuriate in both experiences in one 3 hour period, sharing live music and film in a way we rarely get a chance to do.

Some of my greatest film experiences have involved live musical performances along with movies, whether the choir at the end of the Telluride presentation of three Godfathers or the annual appearance of the Alloy Orchestra with a silent film at the Ebertfest or Carmine Coppola's massive live orchestra with Abel Gance's Napoleon.

The closest TCIFF came to those experiences was in a much more intimate affair around the documentary The Hip Hop Project. Attending the festival were Kazi Rolle, who initiated The Hip Hop Project, which later became this documentary, and his finance' (who is much more than a finace), Keparah, who left the business side of the music business in order to find a way to work to make a more profound difference than she found possible inside the corporations that run the music game. The duo make a powerful team.

TCIFF arranged to have about 50 high school students from the island attend the screening and after many photos with Ms. Guy, the film began. And you know how kids are. It wasn't always easy to tell how engaged they were… until Kazi & Keparah showed up after the film ended… and the kids went for it completely. Kazi performed. They got kids to participate, ask questions, dance, and engage in a real way. It was great. Kids were talking about how they wanted to participate, start a version of The Hip Hop Project in Caicos, and how they could add to the living story of this project, which is one small, but critical opportunity for some kids to focus on their talents instead of their troubles.

This was the event that was the most like a one-two punch and Kazi and Keparah were the most aggressive of the filmmakers and film subjects when it came to integrating with all the participants in the festival. You couldn't go more than a few hours without running into them and whenever you did, you got a smile, a hug, a kind word, and readiness to engage in any conversation that led to the chance of a better world. There were lots of great people at the festival, but this duo embodied the talk and the walk.

The festival also got the world famous Donnie McClurkin to come down to the island to appear live after his bio-doc showed, though he didn't sing. Raul Midon gave a wonderful concert on the edge of the sand, though our experience of his work on film was expressed by an extended film clip. And Elvis White (the reggae group) was in the auditorium (actually The Beaches resort deck), but again, without a film.

But again, it was The Hip Hop Project that should be a template of what this festival can be that is unique and strong.

The first huge problem that needs to be fixed, as it needs to be fixed at almost every small festival, is that TCIFF was way over programmed. 25 movies in 5 nights and 4 days of festival in a tropical paradise says, "grab bag." And I believe that what this smart and ambitious group wants to say is, "This is what's important to us."

You know, it's great to bring a full boat of opportunity to an island that hasn't had a movie theater since the last one burnt down while playing Legally Blonde 2 a couple of summers ago. But it is also extremely easy to overdo it and to offer so much variety that you lose focus.

My suggestion for TCIFF would be to really narrow it down to Jasmine Guy's vision for the festival. 10 films over 5 days, each with a live performance after the screening. If they wanted to add a secondary screening without a performance, say, at 10p or 11p on the beach, that would be cool. They showed Purple Rain this year and that was the kind of film I think works for that… a classic… just fun… not festival serious.

Of course, it would be very difficult to find 10 films with 10 performers who were involved. Perhaps there would have to be some choices that were thematic and not specific, like an female trio after Last Days of Left Eye or a rap group inspired by Tupac after showing Tupac: Resurrection. But the thing is, people should land on that island with a clear idea of what they are about to get into and what they are excited about. Maybe a movie, maybe a band, maybe just the one of a kind experience you can only get at this festival.

Thing is, if you made the film selection more exclusive, you would also increase the value of coming to perform for the live talent. Instead of being one of 25, they would be one of 10 or fewer. And music press would surely be inspired or attend, as it would be equally a music as it was a film festival.

How many people asked what exactly the music theme meant? This answer is far clearer. Movies. Music. Paradise. All just 90 minutes from Miami.

Going to Turks & Caicos is going to be a joy for anyone, but as we have found out after years of the Bermuda International Film Festival, which is a much more mature and serious fest than this one, as much as people want to go have fun, you have to find a stronger motivation to get them on the plane. Well, leaving the east coast on Thursday afternoon to get to a concert and opening night film in paradise on Thursday night is a good motivation. And the 2 concerts and 2 films on Saturday, 2/2 on Sunday, and closing on Monday with one great film and one great concert, followed by the awards presentation… that is an intense five days. Not everyone can take off the week, but with this structure, you could have some take off Friday and others take off Monday to come join the experience. Add another four films and performances targeting the local population and people who come and really want a full festival experience and you have a jam packed event… and time to snorkel too.

Where else could you ever go see six exciting, diverse concerts in five days and great films to go with them?

Thing is, no matter how well intended you are when you go to a fest, 12 films a day at a tropical event like this… it becomes easy to dismiss them all because you can't possible start to see more than a few.

And the alternative? To me, it is more exciting than any festival I might go to. How thrilled and focused would I be to go from 7p to midnight seeing two live performances and two smart movies? That, my friends, is a festival that is a party, not one where you need to go to a party afterwards.

And Turks & Caicos? It couldn't have been more beautiful (well, except for the construction work)… even in the rain.

E Me.

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