The pulsating sounds of cowbells, goat skin drums and trumpets echoed from the bust of Sir Milo Butler, on Bay Street, throughout downtown Nassau on the afternoon of Friday, August 11, 2006, as the Minister of Culture Filmmaking Award recipient, Mr Jeff Friday, (Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Film Life Incorporation and Founder of the American Black Film Festival), exited his limousine at Rawson Square.
Mr Friday got a taste of Bahamian culture, when Junkanoo members from various Bahamian groups staged a first class rush out in honour of TBFF's third anniversary. As he danced, moving his body from side to side in a rhythmic fashion, with the head Junkanoo rusher, Belinda Chipman, Mr Friday was simply 'in heaven.'
He was officially welcomed to The Bahamas by Mr Craig Woods, the Bahamas Film Commissioner and the representative of the Minister of Tourism and Member of Parliament for West End, Grand Bahama and Bimini, the Honourable Obie Whilchcombe.
Mr Woods stated, "Mr Friday, we are delighted that you are here. You took time out of your wonderful schedule, (and I know that it is very busy because I have seen it), to be with us here in The Bahamas and you are accompanied…by the man who is trying to make everything happen for local filmmakers in the Bahamas, Mr Celi Moss."
The Bahamas Film Commissioner publicly stated that the Bahamas is a growing nation, with a young and vibrant filmmaking industry.
"We would like to say that we are a small country with big ambitions but a small budget. And so, those of you who have big pockets and big hearts, we always welcome your support. But this occasion is about the Bahamas Filmmakers, who are looking to improve on their craft, while also networking with people like Jeff Friday and Celi Moss, so that they can improve on the films they produce here in the Bahamas.
We have many wonderful stories to share with the world, but such stories [must now] be captured, written down and put on film, be talked about and put on film," he said.
He expressed hopes that through "networking," The Bahamas film industry will grow and strengthen its ties.
Mr Woods further stated that, "through the networking, through the effort of Mr Moss and his third annual Bahamas Film Festival, which we hope will continue for ages, we hope to be able to put many Bahamian stories on film. So that in the years to come, people will be seeing more Sidney Poitiers, Roxie Rokers, Esther Rolles and of course, more Vivica Watkins's ("Mega B"), who are all from the Bahamas. We are growing but we are not alone. We have the support of people like Jeff Friday and our own Celi Moss, who is blazing the trail for us. So to Mr Friday, thank you for coming and we hope to see more of you, thank you."
Stating that his welcome was the "most warmest, most enthusiastic introduction" he ever had, Mr Friday pronounced that he has dedicated ten years of his life to promoting black movies around the world. "I always wondered why black people in film and television were always portrayed as people who were always struggling, while other people enjoyed luxuries and had good lives. So I think at that point, maybe about as a fifteen-year-old, I said when I get a chance, the opportunity and the resources, I was going to encourage black people to make movies that depict what it is really like to be black in the world. And I started the American Black Film Festival, but it is a true pleasure to be here in the Bahamas," he said.
"My mission was never to start a black film festival solely in the United States. We are one world of black people and I always wanted to expand this mission as broadly as possible… If there is one thing that I would like to leave you with, it is this, "Think big." It is important that everybody think out of the box and think big, because it is really important that black people make movies about black people."
Mr Friday assured members of the public during his address, that when he returns to the Bahamas, he will also bring famous black producers such as John Singleton and Spike Lee.
"They all need to know that you guys are here. We support movies that are made by people other than us and it is time that, just like in music, we take our bootstraps and make movies that depict what it is really like to be black in the world."
By: LAURA MATTHEWS and CHERITA SYMMONETT, The Nassau Guardian
