NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Charles Maynard said that, after viewing the short films produced by seven young Bahamians for the recent Eighth Bahamas Film Festival (BFF), he became a fan of their work.
“You will be amazed by the quality of work they produced and the significant themes used in their films,” Minister Maynard said during a recent courtesy call at his ministry.
“The overall package of films was wonderful. I was very excited about seeing what their ideas were and how their ideas came together.”
Minister Maynard said he also appreciated that the seven young filmmakers – between the ages of 10 and 17, were allowed to introduce their films before they were shown on the screen.
The filmmakers and their films were as follows: 17-year-old Bernard Farquharson for the drama “Behind These Eyes”, 17-year-old Omega Curry for the drama “I Am Beautiful”, 13-year-old Katya Saunders for the comedy “Declined”, 11-year-old T’Nique Brown for the comedy/drama “Dare Me”, 12-year-old Jillian Ferguson for the drama “Dating”, Jillian’s 10-year-old sister J’Dawn Ferguson for the drama “Ticket To Nowhere” and 10-year-old Taina Johnson for the drama/comedy “A Day in the Life of Telena”.
“If I did not tell you that these were young people producing these films you would never know,” Minister Maynard added. “You would think that they were established filmmakers who have been around for quite a while.”
Minister Maynard said the young people wrote and directed their own films, with themes and scripting that he described as “top notch.”
“When you ask some of them what caused them to choose one theme over the next and to hear some of the ‘deep’ answers they come up with, in terms of trying to solve some of our social ills, as a result of highlighting them, it just touched my heart,” Minister Maynard said.
Minister Maynard added that finding young people who think like that, who want to be able to enlighten other young people just caused him to realise that the future of The Bahamas – in terms of the contributions that young people are willing to make – is also in good hands.
The films addressed such topics as school bullying and domestic violence and Minister Maynard said that the films showed the possible positive ways they can be dealt with in Bahamian society.
“You left the theatre thinking and that is what filmmakers really try to accomplish – to leave you with some thoughts in your head, as you digest all that you have seen and heard, Minister Maynard said.
Minister Maynard congratulated filmmaker and BFF founder / Festival Director Mr. Celi Moss and said that he was a “road warrior” in pursuing opportunities to showcase and encourage young people to produce Bahamian films.
“We have seen an influx of young Bahamians getting into the film industry and I am sure that that is in part to his effort,” Minister Maynard said.
“Part of the reason for the Bahamas Film Festival is that, at the time when I started making movies, there was no platform or anything of that nature for filmmakers,” Mr. Moss said. “The purpose and objective of the Bahamas Film Festival is to develop and promote Bahamian filmmakers.
“As you can see we have a nice crop of budding young Bahamian filmmakers who we have great expectations from.”
Minister Maynard added that filmmaker and director of C2it Productions Moya Thompson assisted in the encouragement of the young people in the programme by leading workshops on various areas of the film creation and production. According to a release, five of the young filmmakers are students that took part in the Summer Film Drama Mime and Art Camp that was hosted by C2it Productions.
“To see the young people at this level producing films was really impressive and you could say that the future of the film industry in The Bahamas is in good hands,” Minister Maynard said.
By ERIC ROSE
Bahamas Information Services
