CARIBPR WIRE, TORONTO, Canada, Fri. Mar. 20, 2026: Award-winning actor CCH Pounder is helping to spearhead the expansion of the Cross Continental Forum, (CCF), an international co-production platform connecting producers across Africa and the global diaspora, as the initiative moves its 2026 edition to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

CCH Pounder, Award Winning Actor, and CCF Steering Group Member

“Creation, to me, is our most powerful act of connection. Expanding the Cross Continental Forum to South Africa allows us to turn shared heritage into shared enterprise – creatively, economically and strategically,” commented CCH Pounder, Award Winning Actor, and CCF Steering Group Member.

A Gateway For Global Collaboration

The move is being made in partnership with UMEDA, the economic development agency for the Pietermaritzburg Midlands, and South African production company Pambili Media. The partnership reflects growing interest in building stronger co-production links between Africa, the Caribbean and Diaspora markets as demand increases for globally relevant stories and talent.

“KwaZulu-Natal is ready to engage the global screen economy in new ways. Partnering with the Cross Continental Forum connects our region’s creative industries with international producers, while positioning the Midlands as a gateway for collaboration between Africa and the global marketplace,” stated Michael Newton, CEO of UMEDA.

CCF’s 2026 theme Bridging Markets, Building Futures focuses on strengthening Black authorship and Global South leadership in international co-productions, so that producers enter partnerships as originating partners and rights holders, and creative control and intellectual property remain rooted in the communities where the stories begin.

Sydney Masina, partner at Pambili Media.

“For us at Pambili Media, this partnership is about creating the conditions for meaningful collaboration – where projects can be developed locally while building the international relationships they need to travel globally,” said Sydney Masina, partner at Pambili Media.

“Creating strong business connections between Africa and the Diaspora will be the great success story of the 21st Century, one that will be increasingly rewarding and profitable as we move forward,” US-based Pambili partner Steven Adams, who has a long history of working between Africa and the United States

Launched by CaribbeanTales Media Group in 2024, the Cross Continental Forum brings together film and television producers from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe, and the Americas with potential co-production partners.

After two successful editions in Barbados, the 2026 program will begin with an in-person gathering in the Pietermaritzburg Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal, from July 20-26, presented in partnership with UMEDA and Pambili Media. The program will then continue during the Toronto International Film Festival Market (Sept. 8 – 13), followed by four weeks of virtual labs and curated B2B matchmaking sessions.

Driving South South Collaboration

With the recent co-production agreement signed between South Africa and Nigeria, and the continued growth of the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA), cross-regional collaboration in the creative industries is entering a transformative phase.

The AfCFTA connects 55 African Union nations, forming the world’s largest free trade area by membership.

“We’re witnessing the potential of the AfCFTA to come to life through creative industry partnerships. South Africa’s dynamic screen industry, combined with its co-production infrastructure, positions it as a strategic gateway for South–South collaboration and creative entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Keith Nurse, Cultural Industries Specialist, Chair of CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution.

Dr Keith Nurse, Cultural Industries Specialist, Chair of CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution.

“The Cross Continental Forum was designed from the outset to move between locations across the Global South.  It is part of a long-term effort to build sustainable co-production pipelines linking African, Caribbean, and diaspora producers to the global screen marketplace,” said Frances-Anne Solomon, Founder and CEO, CaribbeanTales Media Group.

Frances-Anne Solomon, Founder and CEO, CaribbeanTales Media Group.

Applications are now open to Black producers and producers of Global Majority descent from Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, the U.K., Europe, and South/Latin America.

Applications close April 15, with a limited number of bursaries available.

About The Cross Continental Forum

The Cross Continental Forum, established by CaribbeanTales Media Group, is a co-production accelerator connecting Black and Global Majority producers across Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and the Americas. The hybrid program provides mentorship, training and industry connections designed to support sustainable and equitable global partnerships.

For more information and to apply before April 15, 2026, visit:  www.decolonisingcoproduction.com/apply/

About CaribbeanTales Media Group

CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) is a Toronto-based media organization dedicated to the development, production, exhibition and distribution of film and television content from the Caribbean and its global diaspora. Founded by filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, CTMG builds international pathways for Black and Global Majority creators through initiatives including the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, the CaribbeanTales Incubator and the Cross Continental Forum, connecting Global South producers to international markets and co-production opportunities.

About Pambili Media

Pambili Media is a South African film and television production company with a distinguished history of  record breaking  African stories for global audiences. Led by award winning filmmaker Mandla Dube and partners Sydney Masina and US based Steven Adams, the company is also  known for connecting African creators with international partners and expanding opportunities for co-production and global distribution.

About UMEDA

The uMgungundlovu Economic Development Agency, (UMEDA) is the official economic development agency for the uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. UMEDA works to stimulate regional investment, support industry development and promote sustainable economic growth across key sectors, including the creative and digital industries, positioning the Pietermaritzburg Midlands as a gateway for international collaboration and innovation.

Creative Export Canada, part of the Creative Export Strategy, provides visibility and funding to help Canadian creative works achieve financial success abroad.

CCF2026 is funded by Creative Industries Funding from the City of Toronto, that supports organizations building skills for jobs in film, TV, music, and creative tech.

CARIBPR WIRE, Toronto, ON, Fri. Aug. 1, 2025: The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), North America’s premier event showcasing Caribbean and diaspora cinema, proudly announces its 20th anniversary edition, taking place Wednesday September 3rd to Saturday September 13th, 2025, in Toronto and online worldwide from September 3rd to October 3rd, 2025.

Under the theme “Resilience in Motion,” this milestone festival will celebrate two decades of transformative storytelling from across the Caribbean region and its global diaspora with 49 incredible films. Programming will include premieres, retrospectives, talkbacks, tributes, and a global virtual component, underscoring CTFF’s enduring commitment to elevating underrepresented voices in film.

Founded in 2006 by Frances-Anne Solomon, an award-winning filmmaker and advocate for diverse cinema, CTFF has grown into an internationally recognized platform for Caribbean filmmakers. Over the past two decades, the festival has screened more than 1000 films, supported hundreds of creators, and played a critical role in shifting how Caribbean narratives are represented on screen.

“This 20th anniversary is both a celebration and a call to action,” says Frances-Anne Solomon, Founder and Executive Director of CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG). “We look back on a generation of groundbreaking films and look ahead to a vibrant future where Caribbean stories continue to redefine the global cinematic landscape.”

Festival Highlights Include:

●     20th Anniversary | 49 Films | Canadian premieres | 15+ Countries represented

●     Opening Night Film: Bankie Banx: King of the Dune (Nara Garber, Anguilla/USA, 2024), featuring reggae icon Bankie Banx (aka Anguillan Bob Dylan), singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet, actor Kevin Bacon, Stephen “Cat” Coore (founding guitarist with Third World)

●     Closing night Film: The Last Meal (Maryse Legagneur, Canada/DR, 2024)

●     September 6th – Honouring Our Legends: Celebrating the 88th Birthday of The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine at The Harbourfront Centre Theatre, film screenings and the presentation of the Jean Augustine Excellence Award to Steelpan Ambassador Wendy Jones

●     September 7th – Canadian Premiere of Nomad in No Man’s Land (Hester Jonkhout, Netherlands/Curaçao, 2024), a film about pioneering director Felix de Rooy, who is an openly gay celebrated artist in the Caribbean

●     Virtual CTFF from September 3rd – October 3rd, an extensive online platform accessible to global audiences.
Over the years, CTFF has been a launchpad for acclaimed works that have gone on to receive international recognition, while also serving as a cultural bridge between the Caribbean and broader international film communities.

The full festival lineup and ticketing details will be announced on August 3, 2025, via the festival website: www.caribbeantalesfestival.com.

Festival Director Diana Webley is available for Radio, Television and Digital Media outlet interviews.

CTFF Film Trailers Link

Built over 20 years, CTMG is the only media group in Canada that provides an ecosystem of screen-based activities that serve Black Canadian, and culturally diverse audiences. CTMG provides a pipeline of activities from creation to distribution that aims to uplift, enrich, promote and monetize Black and culturally diverse film and television content for audiences.

CTMG is home to the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), now in its 20^th year. CTFF celebrates the talents of established and emerging filmmakers of Caribbean and African heritage who practice their art across the Caribbean Diaspora worldwide.

For more information, visit https://caribbeantalesfestival.com/ or follow us on

IG: https://www.instagram.com/caribbeantales/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/CaribbeanTalesInternationalFilmFestival/

X: https://x.com/caribbeantales_

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/caribbeantales

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caribbeantalesmediagroup

“There’s a depth and richness in our storytelling that often gets overlooked in traditional spaces. I’m excited to see what solutions emerge to help us produce these stories in ways that truly reflect the beauty, complexity, and brilliance already in the room,” commented Melanie Hoyes, Director of Inclusion at the British Film Institute.

Producers, funders, storytellers, and cultural strategists from across the world met for several days in Barbados in June at The Cross Continental Forum 2025 from The Caribbean Tales.

In mid-June producers, funders, storytellers, and cultural strategists from across the world met for several days in Barbados to not only discuss problems but find solutions to produce culturally relevant films by creatives who tend to be overlooked by the Global North (who generally decides who gets to tell their stories and how).

What Comes Next

CCF 2025 served as a real-time lab for creative problem-solving, cultural equity, and economic strategy. With over 30 producers directly participating and hundreds more reached through public events and screenings, the forum sparked new partnerships, reshaped how stories are valued, and laid the groundwork for future collaboration.

Key developments already in progress:

• The CCF Manifesto
  A unified declaration of intent and action – documenting concrete next steps from producers, partners, and collaborators, and signaling a collective commitment to move decisively from conversation to co-production.
• Cross-Continental Collaborations
  New cross-border alliances are taking shape from Lagos to Kingston to Port of Spain – grounded in equity, creative ownership, and cultural authenticity.
• Financing & Policy Shifts
  Funding strategies and policy shifts are already taking shape across public and private sectors, ignited by the ideas and commitments forged at the forum.

The Cross Continental Forum founder, Frances Anne Solomon, in red at l, with film producers and sponsors at CCF 2025 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Stay Connected

This was the second staging of the forum, and the movement continues to grow.

If you’re a funder, commissioning body, or industry ally committed to equity-driven storytelling – we invite you to connect. Equity-driven storytelling needs bold partners. Join us as we shape a creative ecosystem where the Global South leads, owns and tells its stories on its own terms.

Visit the official site to explore more and express your interest or follow @crosscontintentalforum on Instagram or email ccf@creatorsofcolour.com

This isn’t the end – it’s the shift.

Attendees of CCF 2025 in Bridgetown, Barbados on June 18, 2025. (Brian Medina image)

CARIBPR WIRE, Bridgetown, Barbados, Mon. June 30, 2025: Two filmmakers, Ife Alaba (Canada), and Kerel Pinder (Bahamas), walked away from the Cross Continental Forum (CCF) 2025 with grant funding to kickstart co-productions, thanks to support from the Inter-American Development Bank—marking a tangible outcome of a weeklong event that moved beyond conversation and into transformation.

The forum, presented by CaribbeanTales Media Group and the Department of Creative and Performing Arts at UWI Cave Hill, concluded its five-day convergence on June 18 with a bold message: The time to build is now. Producers and delegates from across the Caribbean, Africa, Canada, the UK, Europe, and the U.S. issued a united call to design, fund, and activate local film ecosystems without waiting for the “perfect” conditions.

Held under the theme Decolonising Co-Production, CCF 2025 brought together over 50 producers, industry delegates, and creatives to interrogate the systems that determine whose stories are told – and how. The forum challenged participants to shift their gaze from scarcity to opportunity. As Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of CaribbeanTales and co-creator of the forum, emphasized: “It’s great to tell the story—we’re already good at that. The real question is: where will you get the money? Who can you collaborate with to make your project real? These two points must always be front and centre.”

Rather than reinforcing narratives of lack, the forum functioned as a live, collaborative lab – providing real-world opportunities for filmmakers to forge meaningful partnerships and begin building with what they have.

High-Profile Contributors Included:

• CCH Pounder – Guyana-born acclaimed actor, CCF Steering Group member, and activist.
• 
• Lorraine Toussaint – Celebrated Trinidad & Tobago-born actor, producer, and cultural trailblazer.
• Ava DuVernay – Renowned filmmaker, producer, and founder of ARRAY.

DuVernay’s virtual keynote was a standout moment. In a direct message to emerging creators, she dismantled the myth that big budgets make better films: “If your first idea moves you way outside your budget – pivot. Use what’s around you. The best films often happen in the smallest spaces.”

Global media powerhouses Fiona Lamptey, former Head of UK Features at Netflix; Joel Phiri, leading South African producer and distributor with Known Associates; Effie T. Brown, Gamechanger Films, USA, and celebrated Canadian content creator, Jen Holness, took center stage over five days – leading powerful conversations with producers in the room and helping to surface hard truths and tangible next steps.

The forum tackled structural barriers to equity across key pillars:

Day 1 – Decolonising Policy & Legislation: Reforming frameworks that hinder equitable content creation
Day 2 – Decolonising Financing: Disrupting traditional funding streams to centre Black and Global Majority creators
Day 3 – Decolonising Content: Preserving cultural authenticity while scaling reach
Day 4 – Decolonising Distribution: Building inclusive, sustainable distribution models
Day 5 – Decolonising Co-Production: Forging cross-border collaboration rooted in equity

Key stakeholders – including C15 Studios, Caribbean Creative Fund, and major partners such as the Inter-American Development Bank, Invest Barbados, Barbados Tourism and Marketing Inc., Barbados Film and Television Association, Canada Media Fund, Picture NL, and the KZN Tourism and Film Authority – joined the forum to offer funding insights and forge next-step pathways.

Felicia J. Persaud, CEO of Invest Caribbean, moderated a pivotal panel on financing and pointed to a lack of infrastructure: “Few Caribbean countries have usable tax incentives or co-production treaties. While a handful – like Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad & Tobago – offer tax rebates, many, including Barbados, are still playing catch-up.”

What’s Next: Turning Vision Into Industry

With over 30 producers participating in intensive sessions, 20 industry delegates engaged, and hundreds more reached through public programming, CCF 2025 delivered more than discussion – it produced a working blueprint for regional film industry growth.

Key recommendations from forum attendees include:

• Establishing robust film tax incentive programs across the region
• Negotiating formal co-production treaties with countries like Canada, South Africa, and the UK
• Developing inter-island agreements to enable seamless Caribbean collaboration

As one of the few forums of its kind, The Cross Continental Forum is a real-time lab for creative disruption, and with next year’s application cycle opening soon, it continues to position Caribbean and Global South storytellers not on the margins – but at the center of global storytelling futures.

Thirty-one producers representing four continents will meet in Barbados for this transformative event.

CARIBPR Wire, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, May 20,2025: The Caribbean is calling her children home.

In just 3 weeks, the Cross Continental Forum (CCF) 2025, hosted by CaribbeanTales Media Group, (CTMG), in partnership with the Department of Creative and Performing Arts, UWI Cave Hill,  will bring together leading film and television producers  from the UK, Canada, South Africa, the US, and across the Caribbean. They will join creatives, cultural entrepreneurs and the general public, for five powerful days in beautiful Barbados.

Under the theme “Decolonising Co-Production,” the Forum will explore innovative ways to foster collaboration through the empowering lens of the Global South.

“We’re creating a space where Global South producers from around the world can meet on our home soil to together shape new models of financing, storytelling, and ownership,” said Frances-Anne Solomon, founder of CTMG and the visionary force behind the Forum.

Producers will be joining from the following countries:

Canada will have the largest number of film producers at CCF 2025.

●     Canada  - (10)

○     Jennifer Holness

○     Floyd Kane

○     Jennifer Podemski

○     Andrew Burrows-Trotman

○     Nauzanin Knight

○     Gail Maurice

○     Virinder Singh

○     Ife Alaba

○     George Tamakloe

○     Yejide Emioladipupo

●     United Kingdom – (6)

○     Ameenah Ayub Allen

○     Jonte Richardson

○     Emma Grazette

○     Lauren Gee

○     Femi Oyeniran

○     Victoria Thomas

●     The Caribbean

Trinidad & Tobago – (3)

○     Sophie Walcott

○     Camille Abrahams

○     Shari Petti

Barbados – (4)

○     Penelope Hynam

○     Alison  Sealy Smith

○     Ryan Wilfred

○     Sheldon St.Clair

The Bahamas – (3)

○     Tabitha Ritchie

○     Karel Pinder

○     Maria Govan

The Dominican Republic – (2)

○     Eunice Levis

○     Jenna Cavelle

Guyana – (2)

○     Victoria Arjoon

○     Mason Richar

●     South Africa – (2)

○     Nhlanhla Mthethwa

○     SB Sithebe

A Forum For Cultural, Economic, And Creative Evolution

Now in its second year, CCF aims to become a vital platform for reshaping co-production norms and building lasting partnerships across borders.

For the Canada Media Fund, one of the Forum’s key funders, the sense of homecoming is profound. During the Forum’s online opening, CMF’s Joy Loewen remarked, “It’s long overdue. We need to build meaningful and sustainable bridges between our industries and our communities.”

The event addresses critical inequities in the global media production landscape. Agnieszka Moody, Head of International Relations at the British Film Institute, emphasized, “The old models of production and co-production disproportionately favor the Global North. The Cross Continental Forum offers a space to create a blueprint for new ones built on trust, equity, and shared legacy.”

More Than Culture This Is Economic Empowerment

South African producer Kethiwe Ngcobo reflected on the significance of this gathering, “We are here to work, to connect, and to create wealth from our stories. This is not just about culture – it’s about economics. And it starts with us, together.”

ABOUT THE CROSS CONTINENTAL FORUM

The Cross Continental Forum (CCF) 2025 is a production of CaribbeanTales Media Group in collaboration with the Department of Creative and Performing Arts (UWI Cave Hill). Support for the CCF is generously provided by numerous organizations, including the Canada Media Fund, British Film Institute, Mango Bay Group of Companies, Invest Barbados, Inter-American Development Bank, Picture NL, National Cultural Foundation of Barbados, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, Barbados Film and Television Association, Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago, Telefilm Canada, and many other international partners.

Guiding CCF 2025 is a Steering Group comprised of: Frances-Anne Solomon (CEO, CaribbeanTales Media Group), Andrew Millington (Head, Department of Creative and Performing Arts – UWI Cave Hill), CCH Pounder (Guyanese-born actor and activist), Dr. Keith Nurse (Founding Chair, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution and President of COSTAATT), Zikethiwe Ngcobo (CEO, Fuzebox Entertainment, South Africa), John Reid (Former CEO of FLOW Telecommunications, Caribbean and Latin America), Agnieszka Moody (Head of International Relations, British Film Institute), Chloe Sosa Simms (CBC Senior Advisor, Acquisitions), and international events producer Diana Webley (Director of Events, CaribbeanTales Media Group).

Screening Dates at BFI Southbank:

Monday, May 5, 2025 – 14:50 (NFT3)
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 – 20:40 (NFT2)

Tickets available via BFI Southbank.

About the Film
‘What My Mother Told’ Me traces the emotional journey of Jesse, a young woman who travels from England to Trinidad to bury her father. Once there, she is forced to confront the mother who abandoned her, igniting a painful yet transformative reckoning with the past. Set against the lush backdrop of Trinidad, the film deftly navigates themes of loss, belonging, and reconciliation, capturing the personal costs of migration and cultural displacement.

What My Mother Told’ Me traces the emotional journey of Jesse, a young woman who travels from England to Trinidad to bury her father.

The film stars acclaimed actors, including BAFTA-nominated Adjoa Andoh, (Bridgerton), the late Jamaican theatre icon Leonie Forbes, Royal Shakespeare Company veteran Clarence Smith, and award-winning performer Nadine Williams. It features evocative cinematography and a rich, textured score that deepen its emotional resonance.

Completed in 1995, ‘What My Mother Told Me’ was a pioneering work in British-Caribbean independent cinema. Produced by Solomon’s company Leda Serene Films, the project was shot on location in Trinidad and the UK, combining both narrative storytelling and documentary
influences to portray the fragmented experience of the Caribbean diaspora.

The screenplay was developed through workshops at the National Film and Television School (UK) and supported by the British Film Institute’s Production Board. Upon release, the film was praised for its authentic voice and unflinching portrayal of intergenerational trauma within Caribbean families.

A scene from What My Mother Told Me

‘What My Mother Told Me’ was officially selected for major international festivals including:

● Toronto International Film Festival – Planet Africa Programme
● Festival of Black International Cinema (Berlin, St. Louis, Paris) – Best Film Depicting the Black Experience
● Urbanworld Film Festival – Producer’s Choice Award
● Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival – HBO Best Feature Award

About Frances-Anne Solomon

Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning director, writer, and producer recognized internationally for her work across film, television, and radio.

Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning director, writer, and producer recognized internationally for her work across film, television, and radio. Born in England and raised in Trinidad, her career has been shaped by a transatlantic sensibility that infuses her storytelling with global resonance. Solomon’s credits include multiple award-winning productions and the founding of CaribbeanTales Media Group, a pioneering platform for

● Africa Movie Academy Awards – Best Diaspora Feature
● Sony Radio Academy Awards – Best Feature
● New York Festivals TV & Film Awards – Gold Medal for Performing Arts

She is also a leading advocate for diversity in media, with initiatives aimed at training and supporting new generations of filmmakers from underrepresented communities.

Following its BFI Southbank screenings, What My Mother Told Me will be available for streaming globally via CaribbeanTales-TV throughout the month of May.

BFI Tickets: https://bit.ly/42VWldf

Under the theme, Decolonizing Co-Production, this groundbreaking forum is supported by the

Canada Media Fund (CMF), Invest Barbados, and the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CARIBPR WIRE, TORONTO, CANADA, Tues. January 28, 2025: Caribbean Tales Media Group is proud to announce that acclaimed actor and activist CCH Pounder has joined the Steering Group of its Cross Continental Forum, (CCF), bringing her visionary leadership to this successful global initiative. “I had been talking about turning my eye towards the Caribbean, then I took on films with  that theme or origin story,” explains Guyanese-born CCH Pounder, who is known for her roles in the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, and acclaimed television series, NCIS: New Orleans and The Shield. “Then CCF asked me to join them. It seemed like a natural fit. We all want to see more of our stories.”

Set to take place from June 14–18, 2025, in the breathtaking island of Barbados, the second Cross Continental Forum aims to stimulate co-productions between Black and global majority producers from Canada, the Caribbean, the UK, and Africa, and is poised to become an unmissable annual event for industry leaders, storytellers, and change-makers from around the world. This event is supported by the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Invest Barbados

CCF 2025 is now accepting submissions from experienced producers , including Documentary, Feature Film, and TV Series producers from the UK, Canada, Africa, EU, and the Caribbean eager to participate in this transformative experience.

“Under the theme Decolonizing Co-Production, the Cross Continental Forum is more than just a film industry gathering—it’s a strategic initiative to trigger co-ventures, and stimulate trade and economic opportunities that amplify historically underrepresented voices in the global film and television landscape, ” says Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of CTMG. “By fostering cross continental co-productions, the forum sets the stage for global partnerships that will  generate quality content for international distribution.”

Building on the success of its inaugural 2024 event that featured luminaries like CCH Pounder  and producer Paul Garnes (Ava DuVernay’s Origin), attendees of the 2025 forum will enjoy an immersive and insightful experience, with activities including:

Co-Production Lab (May 2025) : A four-week online program covering:

●      Incentives and rebates across territories

●      Legal frameworks for multi-territory co-productions

●      Combined funding from UK, Canada, Africa, EU and the Caribbean

●      Co-production and distribution strategies

●      Co-producing storytelling

De-Colonising Co-Production Forum (June 14-18, 2025): A Market Access event in Barbados with:

●      Matchmaking for UK, Canadian, African, EU and Caribbean producers

●      Access to buyers, distributors, and financiers

●      Focus on sustainable partnerships

Pitch Showcase

●      Producers present their co-production ready projects to a panel of Film and TV Experts.

Who Should Apply?

The CCF is calling Documentary, Feature Film, and TV Series producers from the UK, Canada, Africa, EU and the Caribbean who meet the following criteria:

●      Applicants must be of Black/Caribbean/African diaspora/heritage, or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour)/Global Majority descent.

●      Have successfully produced at least one full-length project domestically and are ready to “level up” into international co-production.

●      Hold at least 51% ownership in a functional production company.

●      Have a project in development with international co-production potential.

How to Apply

Submit your application at HERE

Applications close on March 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.

Apply now and be part of this extraordinary movement!

For inquiries and additional information, please contact: applications@ccf2025.com

CCH Pounder Headshot HERE and BIO

About the CCF – A Global Call for Innovation

The Cross Continental Forum serves as a dynamic space for global film and television co-productions. Specifically designed to bridge connections between the UK, Canada, Africa, the EU, and the Caribbean, this five-day forum aims to create a collaborative environment where high-level producers, experts and professionals explore synergies, share expertise, and build partnerships that will drive innovation and trade within the film industry.

About CaribbeanTales Media Group

CaribbeanTales Media Group is a multifaceted media organization dedicated to creating platforms and audiences for Caribbean-themed stories and talent globally. Their activities include film and television productions, film festivals, distribution networks, and training programs that support diverse filmmakers in reaching international markets.

CCF  2025 is brought to life by a distinguished Steering Committee, including Frances-Anne Solomon (CEO, CaribbeanTales Media Group), Andrew Millington (Head, Department of Creative and Performing Arts – UWI Cave Hill,), actor and activist CCH Pounder (Avatar, The Shield, NCIS New Orleans), Cultural Industries Specialist Dr. Keith Nurse (Founding Chair, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, and president of COSTAAT), Zikethiwe Ngcobo (CEO, Fuzebox Entertainment, South Africa), businessman John Reid (Corporate Executive / Small Business Entrepreneur), Agnieszka Moody (Head of International Relations at British Film Institute), and international event producer Diana Webley (Event Director, CaribbeanTales Media Group).

Notes for Media Professionals

Interested in covering the CCF 2025? Media passes and additional resources will be available closer to the date. Contact us for details at ccf@creatorsofcolour.com

Actor CCH Pounder and Producer Paul Garnes at the 2024 Cross Continental Forum

For Immediate Release

CaribPRWire, Toronto, Canada, Thurs. Nov. 11, 2021: Casting is underway for In the Black and popular American actor Richard Gant has been attached to the project to play the role of Jamaican-born Harry Gairey. Produced by CaribbeanTales Media Group and directed by Caribbean-Canadian Frances-Anne Solomon, the feature film is an adaptation of entrepreneur and activist Jamaican-Canadian Denham Jolly’s memoir of the same name.

In the newly re-imagined The Wonder Years (ABC), Gant guest stars as Granddaddy Clisby – the latest role for the 77-year-old actor who also plays grumpy Walter on CBS’s The Neighborhood. The veteran actor is known for his roles on Greenleaf (Percy Lee), The Mindy Project (Melville Fuller), Men of a Certain Age (Owen Thoreau, Sr.), General Hospital and NYPD Blue.

“I met Richard last year in Los Angeles at the premiere of Hero at the Director’s Guild of America Theater,” recalls Solomon. “So, when I was thinking about who would be the perfect actor to play the role of the legendary Harry Gairey, a Jamaican-born community leader and activist who worked as a railroad porter, Richard’s commanding presence and booming voice instantly came to mind. He will be phenomenal!”

In the Black focuses on Jolly’s journey from Jamaica to Canada, the enormous influence Jamaican political activist Marcus Garvey had on his life as well as Jolly’s fight to secure a license for a Black-owned Toronto radio station, Flow 93.5.

The film has received support from the Harold Greenberg Fund and Telefilm Canada. Producer Nicole Brooks has also recently signed onto the project. Brooks’ production work began with Frances-Anne as story editor for Lord Have Mercy (Vision TV/Showcase/APTN/Toronto One) and she has gone on to create and produce several critically acclaimed and groundbreaking television and theatre productions including Echo (SunTV), Divine Restoration (Vision TV/ TVOne), Obeah Opera and executive produced CaribbeanTales’ slate of international pilots through its flagship Incubator Training Program. Also on board are writer Andrew Burrow-Trotman - The Porter (CBC) Frankie Drake Mysteries (CBC) Utopia Falls (CBC/Hulu), Diggstown (CBC) and development executive Jamie Gaetz. Solomon’s recent feature film, Hero: Inspired by the Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross is now available on Showtime, Prime Video, Hulu and Cineplex Store.

Media Contact: Fennella Bruce | 647.290.7610 | fennella@fkbmedia.com

CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) is a multi-faceted group of media companies that produces, markets, and sells culturally diverse film and television content from the Caribbean and its wide Diaspora.  Founded by award-winning filmmaker and Academy Member Frances-Anne Solomon, CTMG includes: CaribbeanTales Inc, a registered Canadian Charity, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, a film distribution entity, CaribbeanTales International Film Festival; Caribbeantales-TV, a VOD streaming service; the Creatives of Colour Incubator, a year-round development and production hub, and CaribbeanTalesFlix, our production arm.

PHOTOS:

Actor Richard Gant, l, and CaribbeanTales Media Group founder and director  Caribbean Canadian Frances-Anne Solomon. (Photo courtesy of Caju Creative)

Actor Richard Gant (Courtesy: richardgant.com)

For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, Toronto, ON, Tues. June 1, 2021: Canada’s first Black Caribbean reality show, Auntie Jillian, begins airing on Synergy TV on Sunday June 20th, 2021, at 8pm EST with a Live “Meet The Danfords” post-show special hosted by Fusion’s DJ DLife. “I never thought people would be interested in my family, let alone make Canadian television history,” exclaimed Jillian Danford, aka Auntie Jillian. “But to have the show airing throughout the Caribbean and the U.S has completely exceeded my wildest expectations.”

Auntie Jillian started off on YouTube™, quickly amassing 100K+ subscribers and more than 14 million views from a culturally diverse international audience. Born in Trinidad and married to her Jamaican-born husband Warren, the couple’s hilarious interaction with their Canadian Millennial and Gen Z kids, Myles and Milan are just one of the reasons Synergy TV picked up the show. “We love how Jillian and Warren keep the Caribbean culture alive in their household, passing it down to Myles and Milan. This is the kind of positive programming that Synergy is bringing to the Caribbean and the US,” said O’Brian Haynes, General Manager of Synergy TV. “We fell in love with The Danfords, we know our viewers will too!”

When cultures collide, hilarity ensues as the Danfords with their extended fun-loving cast of friends encounter laugh-out-loud moments. From their first camping trip to a Generation X vs. Millennial cook-off, and Warren’s first waxing experience, Auntie Jillian keeps viewers in stitches.

Auntie Jillian airs Mondays at 8pm EST starting June 21st with encore presentations Thursdays and Sundays at 8pm EST.

The Danfords are available for Television and Radio interviews from June 13th – June 20^th and available Print and Digital upon request.

YT: @AskAuntieJillian | IG: @AskAuntieJillian | Twitter: @AuntieJillian | FB: AskAuntieJillian

Synergy TV is one of the most popular television brands across the Caribbean. Available from South America to the U.S, it has a total market reach of 6.47 million people and transmits from: Air Link, DIGICEL, Direct TV and is available through the TEGO TV APP. For more than three decades, Synergy TV continues to be the channel of choice for Caribbean content.

PLEASE SEE PHOTO HERE

Media Contact: Fennella Bruce | Fennella@fkbmedia.com 1.647.290.7610

For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, Canada, Fri. May 21, 2021: HERO, the film inspired by the extraordinary life of Caribbean-born Mr. Ulric Cross, will be available exclusively in Canada on Premium VOD in the Cineplex Store and Prime Video in the U.S. and U.K on May 21^st, 2021.

HERO opened to rave reviews at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Canada and played in cinemas across the UK on a 40 City tour covering England, Scotland and Wales prior to the pandemic. Following this successful tour, HERO went on to win multiple awards and was the Opening Night feature film for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.

HERO stars Trinidad’s Nickolai Salcedo in the title role, Peter Williams (Stargate SG1), Joseph Marcell (FreshPrince of Bel Air), Jimmy Akinbola (Holby City) and Ghanaian superstars John Dumelo, Adjetey Anang and Prince David Oseia.

Film and television industry pioneer, Frances-Anne Solomon has expertly lifted the lid on one of many untold stories of notable Caribbean professionals who made it their life’s mission to foster African independence. Film critic Mike McCahill of The Guardian called Hero, “Stimulating and provocative – filmed history to prompt debate.”

“It’s exciting to know that Ulric’s remarkable life will be shared on a global scale,” said Solomon.

Watch the official HERO trailer (33s)

STREAM NOW:

Amazon Prime UK:https://amzn.to/3bCX2gn

Amazon Prime US: https://amzn.to/3u2PXw7

Showtime U.S.: https://s.sho.com/3wj8GFg

Cineplex Canada: https://cinplx.co/3wnpAm9

PROMOTIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE HERE AND HERE

*Note to editor: HERO is also available in the U.S on Showtime’s specialty channel Sho Next and its streaming platform Showtime On Demand.

Media Contact: Fennella Bruce | 647.290.7610 | fennella@fkbmedia.com

For UK inquires: Evadney Campbell | 07716 289 717 | evadney@shilohpr.com

For Trinidad inquiries: Wendell Bompart |wendell@bompartevents.com

For screener requests and publicity materials, please contact: md@capitalmotionpicture.com

Twitter: Hero_Film Instagram: hero_film Facebook: HERO4ALLTIME Web: www.heroulriccross.com

CaribbeanTales Media Group

CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG), is a multi-faceted group of media companies that produces, market, and sells culturally diverse film and television content from the Caribbean and its wide Diaspora.

Imagine Media

Imagine Media International Limited is an award-winning, full-service, production Company, based in Trinidad and Tobago and South Africa. Founded by award-winning, Producer-Director & Media Personality Lisa Wickham, the Company creates content across all media platforms.

Republic Bank

Headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) is the registered owner of all of the banks in the Republic Group – Republic Bank Limited, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited, Republic Bank (Grenada) Limited, Republic Bank (Suriname) N.V., and Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited, as well as Republic Securities Limited and other subsidiaries.

Capital Motion Picture Group

Capital Motion Picture Group is a distributor of world-class entertainment to audiences around the globe. As part of its diverse offering of independent cinema, Capital Motion aims to both entertain and engage with audiences with an appetite for discovery.