Third Horizon Film Festival Puts A Spotlight On Caribbean Creatives – Broadway World

Deemed one of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by MovieMaker Magazine in 2019, the Third Horizon Film Festival returns for its fifth edition. This year the festival will be hosted hybrid style with a thoughtfully curated mix of in-person and virtual screenings beginning June 24, 2021, through July 1, 2021, in Miami, Florida.

For the first time, the festival will be broadcasting to a global audience, sharing Caribbean culture through penetrating cinema, insightful discussions, and electric music and visual art. Tickets are now available via thirdhorizonfilmfestival.com.

Virtual attendees can access the festival directly on the website or through the official Third Horizon Film Festival app, available on Amazon Fire T.V. Stick, Apple T.V., and Roku. Those interested in an in-person viewing experience can attend four screenings and three parties hosted at the Nite-Owl Drive-In and one screening and extended panel discussion at the Prez Art Museum Miami.

"We've envisioned this edition of the festival as an underground Caribbean television station sending an urgent signal out to the world for one week in the middle of a historic summer; we're aiming to bridge diasporas and regions with this one," says Jason Fitzroy Jeffers, Co-Festival Director and Co-Executive Director of parent organization Third Horizon, an award-winning Caribbean filmmaking collective. "The Caribbean is the crossroads of the world, between the east and the west, the old world and the new. We are descended from people all across the globe: Taino, African, Asian, Spanish, French, Dutch, you name it. The stories forged in this cultural furnace-which come to life in the incredible films we're screening-have so much to share with the world."

With its move to a hybrid model with virtual screenings, THFF has expanded from four days to seven, featuring its largest and most robust lineup yet of 12 feature films, three medium-length films, and 46 short films.

"Our ongoing evolution has guided this year's film program as a celebration of thoughtful cinema from the Caribbean, its diaspora and beyond, but just as much as by the seismic events of the past year," says Jonathan Ali, Director of Programming. "This is the most inclusive we've ever been in our selection, with the most countries we've ever had represented in our lineup. It's a deliberate mix of fiction, non-fiction, hybrid, and experimental work, reflecting an outlook of global solidarity in this moment of precarity and potential, and also promises an unforgettable viewing experience for audiences."

As is tradition, the festival will feature a virtual artist exhibition featuring the engaging work of Miami-based Haitian-American artist Edny Jean Joseph and New York-based Trinidadian-American/Barbadian-American artist duo Intelligent Mischief. The festival will also host three parties at Nite Owl Drive-In curated by acclaimed Trinidadian-Venezuelan DJ and event producer Foreigner, one of the most exciting creatives on the underground L.A. scene.

Finally, the festival will host three panels, in addition to a three-day seminar immediately preceding the festival called Caribbean Film Academy, details of which are soon to be announced. Together, the workshops and seminar offer Caribbean filmmakers worldwide an opportunity to gather to learn from some of the leading voices in Caribbean cinema virtually.

"There are very few film programs in the Caribbean, especially the English-speaking Caribbean, giving students an in-depth understanding of the industry and craft, and many of our most talented, emerging filmmakers often have to head abroad to further their education and careers," said Romola Lucas, Co-Festival Director and Co-Executive Director of Third Horizon. "For those who can't go overseas to attend film school, we are bringing film school to them with this program."

OPENING NIGHT FILM: LIBORIO

Thursday, June 24, 8:30 pm | Nite-Owl Drive-In and Tropical Market

Set in the Dominican Republic in the 1920s and based on a true story, Liborio chronicles the life of its title character. This peasant disappears in a hurricane and returns as a prophet. He says he's been given a mission to bring the good and take away the evil, curing the sick and teaching by example. People begin to assemble by his side. They move to the mountains to have total freedom and develop their dream of an independent community - everything changes when the invading US Marines want to disarm and disband the community. Liborio wants to avoid a confrontation, but they know they can't run forever. (Dominican Republic)

*Followed by the festival's Opening Night Party party DJed by Foreigner

STATELESS: Screening and Panel Discussion

Saturday, June 26, 3 pm | Prez Art Museum Miami

Stateless, the new film from Michle Stephenson, the critically acclaimed filmmaker of American Promise, looks at the complex politics of immigration and race in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In this dangerous climate, a young attorney named Rosa Iris mounts a grassroots campaign, challenging electoral corruption and advocating for social justice. As Rosa balances her congressional run with her dedication to her family and community, the full scope of her fight is revealed. (Dominican Republic/Haiti)

*Followed by an extended discussion with Stephenson, the film's subject Rosa Iris Diendomi, and France Francois, founder and CEO of In Cultured Company, an organization that works on conflict resolution and reconciliation between Haitians and Dominicans. Moderated by Third Horizon filmmaker Monica Sorelle.

WEEKEND DOUBLE FEATURE: SHE PARADISE & STUDIO 17: THE LOST REGGAE TAPES

Saturday, June 26, 8:30 pm + 10:30 pm | Nite-Owl Drive-In and Tropical Market

In She Paradise, Sparkle is a nave 17-year-old girl seeking community and excitement when she stumbles upon a free-spirited dance crew who invite her to their next audition. Welcomed despite her lack of street smarts, she soon meets Skinny, a rapper who's immediately taken with her wide-eyed innocence. Navigating this thrilling yet sinister new world that revolves around nightlife and cash, Sparkle finds her fate in the hands of those with power in this seemingly postcard-perfect setting, with misogyny brewing beneath the surface. (Trinidad and Tobago)

Studio 17 tells the compelling story of the Chins, the Chinese-Jamaican family behind one of the actual birthplaces of reggae music. Located in downtown Kingston, Studio 17 became a legendary recording studio right at the heart of the music revolution that began after Jamaican independence from Great Britain in 1962. (UK/Jamaica)

*Preceded by a warm-up lime at the drive-in at 6:30 pm curated by Foreigner.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM: BANT MAMA

Thursday, July 1, 8:30 pm | Nite-Owl Drive-In and Tropical Market

In Bant Mama, a French woman of African descent escapes after being arrested in the Dominican Republic. She finds shelter in the most dangerous district of Santo Domingo, where a group of children takes her in. By becoming their protg and maternal figure, she will see her destiny change inexorably.

*Followed by the festival's Closing Night Party party DJed by Foreigner and guests

The festival was founded in 2016 by Third Horizon, a Caribbean filmmaking collective. Its films, such as Papa Machete and T, have screened at some of the world's most prominent film festivals such as Sundance, BlackStar and TIFF, with T being awarded the coveted Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the 2020 Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, known as one of the "big three" film festivals in the world alongside Cannes and Venice. In 2020, Third Horizon merged with the NYC-based nonprofit Caribbean Film Academy-co-founders and joint producers of the festival-to create the new and expanded Third Horizon.

Third Horizon is proudly supported by Knight Foundation, which supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, please visit knightfoundation.org.

Third Horizon is also proudly supported by JustFilms / Ford Foundation. As part of the Ford Foundation's Creativity and Free Expression program, JustFilms funds social justice storytelling and the 21st-century arts infrastructure that supports it. The projects and people it supports inspire imaginations, disrupt stereotypes, and help transform the conditions that perpetuate injustice and inequality. For more, please visit fordfoundation.org.

THIRD HORIZON FILM FESTIVAL 2021

FILM SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, JUNE 24

8:30 pm

LIBORIO

Dir. Nino Martnez Sosa | 77 mins | 2021 | Dominican Republic/France | Spanish and French with English Subtitles | Fiction

In the Dominican Republic early in the 20th century, Liborio, a peasant, disappears in a hurricane and returns as a prophet. He says he's been given a mission: to bring the good and take away the evil, curing the sick and teaching by example. People begin to congregate by his side and they move to the mountains to have total freedom and develop the dream of an independent community. Everything changes when the invading US Marines want to disarm and disband the community. Liborio wants to avoid a confrontation, but he knows that they can't run forever.

LIBORIO will be screening both online at in-person at Nite Owl Drive-In

10:30 pm

OPENING NIGHT PARTY FEATURING FOREIGNER

In keeping with its history of epic opening night parties, Third Horizon Film Festival 2021 will kick off with a session under the stars with Foreigner, the Trinidadian/Venezuelan DJ who's set L.A.'s underground scene on fire with his debaucherous and wildly inventive parties such as Junkyard Jourvet and Road Block Rally.

FRIDAY, JUNE 25

6:00 pm

SHORT FICTIONS: PROGRAM 1

Four dramatic shorts from the Caribbean and its diaspora that reflect an impressive range of styles and themes.

TUFF GUY

Dir. Yannis Sainte-Rose | 23 mins | 2021 | Martinique | French French Creole with English subtitles | Fiction

Following an inappropriate remark towards a woman, a young man finds himself plunged into a parallel world where he will undergo a series of remarks and micro-attacks usually reserved for women.

NO ENTRY

Dir. Kaleb D'Aguilar | 13 mins | 2021 | United Kingdom | English | Fiction

Against the backdrop of the Windrush scandal, a Jamaican mother, Valerie, struggles to keep her relationship with her son Eli intact. Valerie suffers in silence as she battles with the government's hostile environment tactics. She keeps the threat of deportation a secret, while her psychological state begins to deteriorate and she grapples with the fear of losing her son and the country she calls home.

PARIS IS HERE

Dirs. La Magnien and Quentin Chantrel | 17 mins | 2020 | French Guiana | French and French Creole with English Subtitles | Fiction

The peaceful life of Georges, an introverted French Guyanese teenager, gets complicated when he falls in love with Gisele, a dreamy girl who hopes to see Paris more than anything.

COUSINS

Dir. Mandy Marcus | 13 mins | 2021 | United States | English | Fiction

A Brooklyn teenager is reunited with her Guyanese cousin for the funeral of a relative. On the last day of the wake, the girls venture out into the city alone.

8:00 pm

PARTY DONE

Dir. Ian Harnarine | 46 mins | 2021 | Trinidad & Tobago | English Creole with English Subtitles | Non-Fiction

A popular Trinidadian television host utilizes viewer tips in an attempt to make a dent in the country's soaring murder and crime rate. His controversial techniques put him at odds with criminals and the law.

9:30 pm

RIGHT NEAR THE BEACH

Dir. Gibrey Allen | 80 mins | 2020 | Jamaica | English | LGBTQ+ Fiction

After the death of famous runner Jeffrey Jacobs, the Jamaican public becomes enamored with the details of his life and speculates as to the motivation behind his murder. Jeffrey's father, a reserved and kind farmer, struggles to grieve while inundated by the inescapable coverage. Through moments of blinding rage and quiet contemplation, the camera is a window into a life burdened by the death of a child that will never know justice. Against a backdrop of beautiful vistas, Right Near The Beach takes a lyrical approach to its subject-rather than treat the murder as a voyeuristic mystery, the film challenges us to contemplate the anguish of loss while everyone else debates the value of one person's life.

SATURDAY, JUNE 26

11:00 am

SHORTS: THIS WOMAN'S WORK

History and myth, poetry and reality embrace one another in these four filmic conjurations of the feminine, from Guyana to Scotland, Cuba to the USA.

PATTAKI

Dir. Everlane Moraes | 21 mins | 2018 | Cuba | Spanish with English subtitles | Experimental Non-Fiction

In the dense night, when the moon lifts the tide, beings trapped in the daily life of water scarcity are hypnotized by the powers of Yemaya, the goddess of the sea.

DOLL THOMAS

Dir. Ashanti Harris | 22 mins | 2019 | English | Scotland | English | Experimental Non-Fiction

Doll Thomas, is a document of artist and filmmaker Ashanti Harris' research into the historical relationship between Guyana and Scotland, and the hidden legacies of a female diaspora. In the film, Harris applies Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's theories of translation as a methodology for speculating history and elaborating on the complex and extraordinary life of Doll Thomas, from the limited archival information documenting her existence. (Audience content warnings: The work makes reference to difficult and traumatic histories including the transatlantic slave trade and the colonial subjugation of women.)

SPIT ON THE BROOM

Dir. Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich | 11 mins | 2020 | United States | English | Experimental Non-Fiction

For more than a century and a half, a group of African-American women belonging to a clandestine organization have acted as agents of goodwill in their communities. This visual essay conveys the history of the United Order of Tents, a secret society that originated in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The strength of this multigenerational sisterhood is shown through an amalgamation of historical reenactments and contemporary sequences.

WHEN ANGELS SPEAK OF LOVE*

Dir. Helen Pea | 13 mins | 2021 | United States | English | Non-Fiction

When Angels Speaks of Love, is a ritual portrait of a Miami woman as she grieves her sister's passing and prepares for new life in Clearwater, Florida.

1:00 pm

FILMMAKER In Focus: MORGAN QUAINTANCE

Morgan Quaintance is one of the most vital artist filmmakers working today. His practice reflects a strikingly unique approach to film form, and his growing body of work sits at an arresting confluence of the personal and the political. Having screened two of his films at THFF20, we are pleased this year to present this focus on Quaintance featuring three new and recent works.

SURVIVING YOU, ALWAYS

Dir. Morgan Quaintance | 18 mins | 2020 | United Kingdom | English | Experimental Non-Fiction

The transcendental promise of psychedelic drugs versus a concrete and violent experience of metropolitan living: these two opposing realities form the backdrop for an adolescent encounter told through still images and written narration.

MISSING TIME

Dir. Morgan Quaintance | 15 mins | 2020 | United Kingdom | English | Experimental Non-Fiction

Through a focus on alien abduction, cold war history, and Britain's colonial history, Missing Time considers the relation between amnesia, concealed histories, state secrecy, and the constitution of the self.

SOUTH

Dir. Morgan Quaintance | 28 mins | 2020 | United Kingdom | English | Experimental Non-Fiction

Taking two anti-racist and anti-authoritarian liberation movements in South London and Chicago's South Side as a point of departure, South presents an expressionistic investigation of the power of individual and collective voice. Interlinked with the filmmaker's own biography (time spent living in both London and Chicago), the film also considers questions of mortality and the will to transcend a world typified by concrete relations.

3:00 pm

STATELESS

Dir. Michle Stephenson | 96 mins | 2020 | Canada /United States/Haiti /Dominican Republic | Spanish with English subtitles | Non-Fiction

In 2013, the Dominican Republic's Supreme Court stripped the citizenship of anyone with Haitian parents, retroactive to 1929. The ruling rendered more than 200,000 people stateless, without nationality, identity or a homeland. Stateless traces the complex tributaries of history and present-day politics, as state-sanctioned racism seeps into mundane offices, living room meetings, and street protests. Anyone defending marginalized groups faces threats of violence. In this dangerous climate, a young attorney named Rosa Iris mounts a grassroots campaign, challenging electoral corruption and advocating for social justice. As Rosa balances her congressional run with her dedication to her family and community, the full scope of herfight is revealed.

STATELESS - PANEL DISCUSSION

Our screening of STATELESS will be followed by an extended in-person discussion with Stephenson, Rosa Iris Diendomi, and France Francois, founder and CEO of In Cultured Company, an organization that works on conflict resolution and reconciliation between Haitians and Dominicans. Moderated by Third Horizon filmmaker Monica Sorelle.

STATELESS will be screening both online and in-person at Prez Art Museum Miami.

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Third Horizon Film Festival Puts A Spotlight On Caribbean Creatives - Broadway World