The program was hosted by Carrie Mullings (Canadian Ambassador to Reggae Music) of Rebel Vibes on CHRY radio. On the panel was Canadian reggae singers Tanya Mullings and Ammoye along with the producer of JAB! Elizabeth Topp.

Tanya Mullings award winning music can be found on myspace. Canada’s upcoming, Ammoye, nick named “Canada’s best kept secret”, can also be found on myspace. Elizabeth Topp, Trinidadian born Film producer can be contacted through CBFF. We look forward to her next film.

QUEENS OF SOUND

Reggae and Dancehall music, the sounds grown and developed in the streets of Jamaica have always been dominated by men. For example the two genres of music has been spread to all corners of earth by superstars like Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel, yet of the global Billion dollar industry, less then 12% of people involved are women. QUEENS OF SOUND documents the experiences of women, and their social histories in the rather new genre of Reggae and Dancehall music, which is a culture of its own. The visual document begins with the difference between reggae and dancehall music. Dancehall is usually fast pace dance or party music with elements of rap and is typically based on a simple syncopated base rhythm. It is generally associated with crass, slackness and violent lyrics. Reggae is the antithesis to Dancehall. Reggae is much slower than dancehall usually based on the classic ‘one drop beat’ with sung lyrics rather than rapping and are typically based on love or a social consciousness which educates its listeners on world corruption and poverty. Although there is no concrete rule separating the two, both genres were born out of Jamaica and often share elements of other.

Austrian director Sandra Krampelhuber interviews almost every Jamaican female reggae and dancehall artists to gain their perspective and their experiences on the industry. Everyone from Marcia Griffiths and Tanya Stephens to Queen Omega, Queen Ifrica, Lady G and Lady Saw share their stories. She also covers the perspectives of music video director Nordia Rose, Jade Lee of the Jamaican Artist Development Enterprise, entertainment lawyer and President of JAFA (Jamaican Association of Female Artists) Sandra Alcott and social studies professor and author at the University of the West Indies Carolyn Cooper. QUEENS OF SOUND covers a lot of ground and places Jamaican music as a central figure in Jamaican Culture.

Artists like Chevelle Franklyn who performed in, arguably, Jamaica’s most popular film DANCEHALL QUEEN, with Beenie Man at the height her career also voices her opinion on the industry. The popularity of the film set off both their careers in 1997. Just as Chevelle was about to reap the benefits of performing in a hit film, she made the life altering decision to end her secular career and use her musical talent in church. She has since continued to record and perform Christian reggae music. She states that dancehall music was not doing anything for her spiritually and that the culture was destroying the youth. She goes on to explain with examples of young women spending valuable time and money to indulge in the dancehall culture yet cannot afford to lift their lives above the poverty line.

Artist Ce’Cile addresses the sexual explicit lyrical content which seems to be a staple of dancehall culture. After recording so many songs about sex, she feels it’s her duty to record one about safe sex. The crew follows her to a Big Yard studio, Kingston Jamaica to record it. Recording artist Sasha describes her music as ‘sexy yet sweet, hardcore but discrete’ and continues to explain that her latest album ‘Sexy Body Sasha’ was named by her record label as she laughs and shrugs it off. Other artists discuss the pressures that record labels place on female singers to dress sexy in little to no clothing in order to sell records. Sex Sells. Queen Ifrica and Lady Saw put into plain words that men will see a pretty face before they see talent and market sex before music. Carolyn Cooper addresses the female sexual dichotomy by stating that “the only thing worse than being a sexual object rather than a person, is not be being a sexual object”.

Tanya Stephens, arguably Jamaica’s most popular and successful reggae and dancehall singer, claims that she finds it insulting when people tell her she is pretty good for a women, and that she sees herself as a Jamaican musical artist rather than a Female Jamaican musical artist.

The audience found the film very informative. A member of the audience described the film as ‘a breath of fresh air. I have never seen anything like this.’ Due its over whelming response, the Canadian Black Film Festival plans to screen QUEENS OF SOUND again prior to Toronto’s annual Caribana festival in 2010.

Jab! The Blue Devils of Paramin

Jab! The Blue Devils of Paramin was also very entertaining as it documented the preparation for Parmain’s annual Carnival. Paramin is a small village outside Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago. The film follows Kootoo, a middle aged farmer who lives in the hills as his family and friends prepare for carnival. This is not just a documentary about carnival in the small village, it is a film about the beauty and culture a Paramin. Its striking imagery of the horizons thick forests, farm land and people, places you right there in hills beside Kootoo as he tells his story. We also get to meet the neighbours like 92 year old Augustine, who speaks fluent patois. Patois is the mixture of French Spanish and English concocted in an effort for African slaves to communicate with their European masters. The term Patois is usually associated with Jamaica which is constantly evolving, but perhaps Augustine’s patois is the oldest, thus closest to the original language which is slowly being eroded as a colloquial dialect.

Paramin seems like another world. The houses seem like shacks according to large city standards and are formed from old wood and sheet metal; water flows not from faucets, but from pipes sticking out of the ground, yet the residents are happy and refuse to leave its beauty, comfort and beloved community.

We see the village gear up for carnival by practicing their dances, preparing their costumes, body paint, and pans; not to be confused with the steel pan formed from oil barrel lids (Trinidad’s famous pitched percussion instrument). These pans seem to be aluminium garbage bins which are placed over a flame to create a certain tone when beaten with sticks. Jab! Concludes with the streets filled with people young and old dressed up in various costumes and most covered in blue body paint dancing to the rhythm of the pan. Blue Devils seem to be the most popular costume as they play Jab and parade through the streets like wild beats at night seeking their prey.

JAB! THE BLUE DEVILS OF PARAMIN creates an excellent and beautiful portrait of Paramin in preparation for carnival.

Expert help was on hand from many of those driving African-Canadian filmmaking forward and we would like to extend special thanks to Jude Idada, Powys Dewhurst, David Sutherland, Tabby Johnson, Jani Lauzon, Louis Taylor and Nicole Brooks who either screened work or were incredibly supportive in participating in Q&A sessions.

The Tenant Cast and Producer Jude Idada at the CBFF Opening Night

As we look forward to launching 2010 activity, one of the key successes of the three days was the launch of the CBFF Youth on Camera program. This started on Saturday September 26th, bringing together groups from Schools Without Borders, Shoot With This and the Regent Park Focus Group for a screening day and discussion session.

The festival culminated in an emotional tribute to The Honourable Lincoln Alexander and the premiere screening of the documentary on his life – A Linc in Time – by Nicole Brooks, please make sure you see this film for yourself whenever you get the opportunity, truly a landmark in Canadian filmmaking!

Michael Pinball Clemons and Karen King pay tribute to Lincoln Alexander, pictured centre with cast from A Linc In Time

Our closing ceremony also saw the introduction of the ‘CBFF Linc Award’. This award (pictured below), was presented to Lincoln Alexander for his lifetime of achievements and contribution to Canadian society. This will also be the award handed out to filmmakers and category winners at all future festivals. We were delighted to have the opportunity to recognise The Honourable Lincoln Alexander in this way.

We would also like to pay a special thank you to our volunteers who helped to make our first year such a wonderful success. One of our volunteers, Stephanie Edwards, spent some time during a busy festival schedule writing reviews on some of the films shown, please read below for some quick reviews!

Drama, Drama, and a little too much Drama!

The Tenant kept us all on our toes in anticipation of how the story was going to unfold. Each opened door that provided key information always brought a new twist to the story. You could never predict what was going to happen next. Leaving the audience crying out exclamations of “oh my goodness” or “this is too much”, it really was a picture that seemed to connect with the audience.

A thoroughly engaging Q&A session with producers and members of the cast continued well into the night, which was a testament to the interest, intrigue and questions this award-winning Canadian feature has had at festivals around the world.

ATTENTION! – To all persons who have influence in allowing films to be shown in schools.  This should be one of them!!!

I highly recommend this film to be shown in schools and made easily accessible to people who would like to learn more about Kwanzaa or for people who would like to incorporate this celebration into their lives.

Kwanzaa is a holiday, yet many people are not informed about what Kwanzaa is, or what it means to some people in our community. This is an educational, informative and family oriented film that gives a sense of pride to all black communities worldwide and was a fitting way to open a Canadian Black Film Festival. Two thumbs up!

I was glad to see a film in the Canadian Black Film Festival that acknowledges Sickle Cell, which is a disease that mainly affects the black Community.

I didn’t feel as though this short film captured enough emotion from the parents, the stepmother or the child, about how they were really feeling going through this ordeal. Some may argue that the film was a bit toned down because the family was in a hospital. Regardless of this story being portrayed in a hospital setting, when someone you love or someone close to you is in need, hurt, sick or near death your emotions will tell a powerful story of how you feel, in addition to, how this sudden change will affect your daily life.

Due to the lack of honest emotion, I would find it hard for an audience to understand its true essence, however this was a powerful and brave first foray into filmmaking for the emerging young York graduate Brianna Brown.

A Linc In Time was amazing, inspirational and motivational!

I felt as though I was in the presence of a wise, down to earth and experienced individual, telling their story to allow another to step up and keep going even in the face of adversity and hardships. Lincoln Alexander never once gave the impression that everything in life came to him easy, but his compelling recollection of his own life story would certainly motivate anyone who sees this excellent documentary to give their very best at all times Both the number of changes he initiated, as well as the lives he touched are beautifully captured in a film that jumps seamlessly between the past and the present.

This testimony to someone who will in time be viewed as one of the forefathers of Canadian history will rest as timeless tribute to an incredible life and life-changing journey.

Location: Eng 103, George Vari Building, Ryerson University
Time: 6:30 PM

Delroy Kincaid: Where Do White People Go When The Long Weekend Comes?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
7 min // 2008 // Canada

An artistic black boy is raised in a vibrant seaside Caribbean village by his grandmother. When they travel to the First World to live with his parents and his grandmother dies, a lonely and confused Delroy must journey alone to understand his life and identity in this new world as an ‘immigrant’.

The Tenant
Dir: Lucky Ejim
90 min//2008//Canada

Obinna (Lucky Ejim), an African refugee in Canada, faces deportation in 30 days. When all hope seems lost, a chance confrontation with Timothy, his terminally ill landlord, provides him an opportunity to remain in the country. Timothy who is a former immigration officer makes him a deal; he will intervene in his pending deportation if Obinna finds his estranged daughter Nicole and convinces her to see him one last time before he dies. With the clock ticking, Obinna fights to save his dreams, in the course of which he stumbles on a discovery that will shake the very foundations of his beliefs.

Location: Eng 103, George Vari Building, Ryerson University
Time: 9:30 PM

Who Are You Wearin’?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
6 min//2008//Canada

Who Are You Wearin’? is a timely thought-provoking satire that pokes fun at the controversial fad of Third World adoption by celebrities. What happens when babies are yanked from mud huts and thrust into the spotlight to replace designer bags?

The Black Candle
Dir: M.K. Asante Jr
71 min//2008//US

The Black Candle is a landmark documentary that uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore the African-American experience. Narrated by world-renown poet Maya Angelou, The Black Candle is an extraordinary, inspirational story about the struggle and triumph of African-American family, community and culture. Filmed across the United States, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, The Black Candle is more than a film about a holiday, it’s a celebration of a people!

Location: National Filmboard Mediatheque
Time: 1:00 PM

Demon Buddy
Dir: Ray Wilson
5 min//2009//Canada

A young man in a chance meeting with a old friend finds out the hard way what happens to people who can’t stop talking and oversteps the boundaries of personal space.

Stall
Dir: Regents Park Focus Directors Group
16 min// 2009 // Canada

A mean boss feels the ultimate sting of karma when he is locked inside a smelly secluded bathroom at the office and tries with all his might to escape before he loses his mind.

The Smoker
Dir: Kayla McCalla
5 min// 2008 // Canada

Mr Mohammed is a chain smoker. Despite his daughter’s concern for his health, he is unable to find the will power to quit. The consequences prove to be beyond tragic.

Also Featuring:

Location: Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Time: 11:00 AM

Diplomatic Swange – 11:00 AM
Dir: Bayo Akinfemi
71 min// 2008 // Canada

With participation by the Benue State Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, the documentary dubbed as the guideline to ‘improving Nigeria-Canadian relationships through cultural diplomacy’, highlights the rich culture of this diverse Western African country through dance. Diplomatic Swange takes the viewer on a rollercoaster ride of dazzling performances and high energy live shows, showcasing some of the best Nigerian performers the country has to offer. Featuring captivating interviews by some of the key proponents of West African dance, it brings the aspirations and hopes of Canadians and Nigerians to a glimpse of fruition.

The King Is Mine – 12:30 PM
Dir: Frank Raja Arase
140 min// 2008 // Ghana

The King Is Mine is one of the most popular titles to come out of the thriving African movie industry. Made in Ghana, it tells the story of a young king of the Doduala Kingdom (John Dumelo), who desperately desires an heir to his throne. The Queen of Doduala Kingdom is given away in marriage to the new King, her brother in-law, after the death of her husband in a marriage which produced a female child and no apparent heir. After the Queen has four still births, the King decides to seek a new bride with intriguing results. The star studded cast includes Nollywood heavyweights Kalsum Sinare, Jackie Appiah, Irene Opare, Kojo Dadson and Emmanuel Armah.

Love My Way – 5:00 PM
Dir: Ikechukwu Onyeka
140 min // 2008 // Nigeria

Love My Way, is a fascinating example of the Nollywood narrative. It charts the story of Tekena (Jim Lyke), whose world is turned upside down when he realizes his lovely fiancée is not what both he and his fiancée herself thought she was! Life’s funny incidents bring Tekena and Keylin together, while Keyla, Tekana’s more suitable love interest the real deal was out of town. Tekena later realizes that he has been living with a stranger, but is unable to emotionally break free. In the process, two sisters stumble over their family’s long hidden secrets. What will happen to Tekena’s disheveled world? Staring Genevieve Nnaji, Jim Iyke, Tonto Dike and Kalu Ikeagwu.

Location: Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Time: 12:00 PM

Esther, Baby and Me
Dir: Louis Taylor
21 min // 2000 // Canada

Esther, Baby and Me takes us on a hysterical romp through the mind of Louis Taylor as he discovers he is about to become a father. Responsibility, race guilt, alcohol poisoning, SUV’s and a serious lack of sex plague Lou’s journey towards fatherhood and maturity. A journey he never planned on making. Crushingly honest and incredibly amusing, it is a must see for those who value a dose of intelligence in their short films.

Soulmate
Dir: Andrea Wiley
83 min // 2006 // USA

43% of African-American Women remain unmarried. Soulmate presents the realities facing today’s successful, saved and single African-American women. This personal portrait reveal the trials and triumphs of remarkable women while offering hope and practical advice on wuch issues as loneliness, the desire for sexual intimacy, men on the down low, the ticking biological clock and the uncertainty of the future. Winner of Best Feature Film African American Women in Cinema Film Festival. Winner Best Documentary, San Fransisco WYSIWYG Film Festival.

Location: Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Time: 4:30 PM

Africa’s Daughters
Dir: Natalie Halpern
25 min // 2008 // USA

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short at the Atlanta Film Festival, Africa’s Daughters, captures the inspiring journey of two Ugandan girls with one big dream: to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. To do that they must challenge cultural traditions and graduate high school, something nearly impossible for most African girls.

The First Time
Dir: Ngozi Paul
6 min // 2008 // Canada

Created for the Toronto International Film Festival Talent Lab in 2008, The First Time is a portrait piece that ask 3 generations – a grandmother, a mother and a daughter….what happened that very ‘first time’.

Embracing Da Kink: A Retrospective of ‘Da Kink In My Hair’ Plus ‘Secrets of a Black Boy Sneak Preview’
Dir: Joel Gordon
44 min // 2008 // Canada

The documentary follows the journey of the play from its humble beginnings in 2000 through to its reincarnation as a dazzling television series in 2007. The growth of the play in Embracing Da Kink is paralleled by Anthony’s personal transformation from a dispirited, out of work actor to a television diva. As this production gave an entertaining new voice to several hard-hitting issues, Anthony never realized it would attract such a large and diverse audience.

Location: LIB 72, Library Building, Ryerson University
Time: 12:00 PM

Counting Headz: South Afrika’s Sistaz in Hip Hop
Dir: Erin Offer
49 min // 2007 // South Africa

Counting Headz is a platform for stories that are often drowned out among the male voices in hip hop. This ground-breaking documentary reveals the position of South Africa’s women today; their stories are mediated through the experiences of three major artists in South Africa’s hip hop scene.

Beauty Lies
Dir: Karen Chapman
19 min // 2007 // Canada

Winner of the new perspectives award at the Vancouver Student Film Festival, Beauty Lies, questions the ideals, motivations and images of beauty in the media that could be seen as manifesting a ‘white standard’ of beauty. Narrated through a series of intimate video diaries and interviews, Chapman seeks to challenge generations of deeply woven misconceptions of a beautiful woman by pivotally shaving off her permed hair and posing the question- where does beauty really lie?

Location: LIB 72, Library Building, Ryerson University
Time: 2:30 PM

Type O
Dir: Brianna Brown
7 mins// 2008// Canada

Veronica has no options for her sick daughter Monique other than agree to a risky surgery or see her live in pain. Her ex-husband and his new wife criticize her for not consenting but Veronica waits and searches for assurance.

Jamie and Eddie: Souls of Strife
Dir: Pascal Aka
90 mins// 2007 // Canada

In a Canadian School designed for future secret agents and warriors; Jamie and Eddie are former best friends turned rival honor roll students. They find themselves competing for a valuable scholarship that will enable them to train in the United States. In order to prove to the American government that his Canadian students are worthy, the school principal invites a terrorist at the top of the US hit list to compete with his students. Jamie and Eddie have no choice but to join forces again and they are left with a battle for a prize and for their lives.

Location: Eng 103, George Vari Building, Ryerson University
Time: 7:30 PM

Delroy Kincaid: Where Do White People Go When The Long Weekend Comes?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
7 min // 2008 // Canada

An artistic black boy is raised in a vibrant seaside Caribbean village by his grandmother. When they travel to the First World to live with his parents and his grandmother dies, a lonely and confused Delroy must journey alone to understand his life and identity in this new world as an ‘immigrant’.

Who Are You Wearin’?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
6 min//2008//Canada

Who Are You Wearin’? is a timely thought-provoking satire that pokes fun at the controversial fad of Third World adoption by celebrities. What happens when babies are yanked from mud huts and thrust into the spotlight to replace designer bags?

After K
Dir: Jermaine Bagnall
22 min // 2008 // Canada

After K critically examines how life is being rebuilt in New Orleans four years after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the city. The film takes you on a tour through the city’s infrastructural and cultural revitalization and how it affects its citizens

A Linc In Time
Dir: Nicole Brooks
50 min // 2008 // Canada

The documentary, A LINC IN TIME is the revealing portrait of the great Lincoln Alexander, the first black Member of Parliament in Canada and the first black Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The surprising, funny, often heartbreaking but always inspiring account of his life are all shared by the Honourable Alexander himself, in his own words.