After a year-long hiatus, the organisers of the Trinidad+Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) are casting their net far and wide for Caribbean filmmakers to submit their work for this year’s showcase.

One of the Caribbean’s most influential platforms for regional film productions, TTFF is making a dynamic return in 2025 under new leadership with award-winning filmmaker and festival director Mariel Brown at the helm.

Brown is heartened by the response from filmmakers, audience members and TTFF supporters to the festival’s return.

“It feels like there is genuine excitement and energy around this year’s festival,” she said, remarking that supporters have been reaching out to her and the TTFF Advisory Group to express their excitement at the festival’s presence. 

“We’ve had a phenomenal response so far. Submissions are up by 40 per cent compared to the last submission period in 2023,” Brown said, adding: “We’re on track to receive over 340 submissions, a clear sign that Caribbean storytelling is burgeoning.”

Under the management of SAVANT Ltd, the revitalised TTFF is placing a bold emphasis on regional identity and diversity. A new programming team has been appointed with a mandate to spotlight films from the English-, Spanish-, Dutch- and French-speaking Caribbean.

“We are unapologetically Caribbean,” Brown affirmed. “It’s a declaration which underscores the chutzpah and dynamism of the developing Caribbean film scene over the last decade and a half, and the festival’s role within it.”

Brown stressed the importance of representation and visibility for Caribbean people, noting that local audiences have long consumed international content without seeing themselves reflected on screen.

“There’s something deeply powerful about seeing and hearing ourselves – our language, our music, our lives portrayed in authentic ways,” she said. “That’s what TTFF has always championed: telling our stories to our community, for our community.”

This year’s festival, its 19th edition, will feature 80 films, each screened at least twice to maximise audience engagement and ensure film-makers receive the exposure they deserve. The festival will run from September 24–30 in the culturally vibrant district of Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

In a move to deepen its regional and international impact, TTFF has also brought on an advisory group comprising leading creative and industry professionals, including:

• Melanie Archer – award-winning designer and curator (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Leslie Fields-Cruz – Executive director of Black Public Media (USA)
• Kareem J. Mortimer – Executive producer and award-winning filmmaker (The Bahamas/ USA) 
• Renee Robinson – International film industry expert and former film commissioner (Jamaica)
• Donna N. Thomas – Senior business consultant (Trinidad and Tobago)

“These are people with deep roots in film, design, business, and international markets. Their expertise is helping to shape the future of the festival,” Brown said. “We are also in discussion with associations such as JAFTA (Jamaica Film and Television Association) to develop beneficial partnerships.”

Since its founding in 2005 by film historian, academic and producer Dr Bruce Paddington, TTFF has remained committed to showcasing Caribbean cinema. It has been instrumental in launching the careers of many of the region’s acclaimed filmmakers, such as Jamaica’s Storm Saulter and Gabrielle Blackwood; Kareem Mortimer and Maria Govan from The Bahamas, Bruno Mourral (Haiti), Vashti Anderson (T&T/USA), Ian Harnarine (T&T/ Canada) and Damian Marcano (T&T). 

“In a very real way, the TTFF has served as a launch[ing] pad for the Caribbean film industry. It has spotlighted the region as a hub for creativity and cinematic excellence,” Brown asserted.

Filmmakers interested in submitting their work can do so via FilmFreeway by May 12, 2025.