CaribPR Wire

The Wonder Years Star is in discussions to play Jamaican-Canadian Community worker Harry Gairey

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 | [email protected]

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)

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Director Frances-Anne Solomon’s Award-Winning Feature Film will be streaming in Canada, the US and the UK from May 21st

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 | [email protected]

For UK inquires: Evadney Campbell | 07716 289 717 | [email protected]

For Trinidad inquiries: Wendell Bompart |[email protected]

For screener requests and publicity materials, please contact: [email protected]

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.

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Acclaimed Director Frances-Anne Solomon to spearhead

this historic new project

For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, Canada, Mon. Nov. 9, 2020: The pivotal role played by British-Trinidadian journalist and activist Claudia Jones in launching the world’s largest street festival, the Notting Hill Carnival, is the focus of a new Canada-UK co-production.

Leading the production is acclaimed Canadian director Frances-Anne Solomon (Hero: Inspired by the Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross). The film will be produced by Solomon’s CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG), in partnership with Nadine Marsh-Edwards’ UK-Based Greenacre Films and Lisa Wickham’s Trinidad and Tobago-based Imagine Media International Limited.

Set in London in 1958 as violent race riots ravaged the country, CLAUDIA tells the story of Jones, a Trinidad-born activist deported to England from McCarthyite USA, who comes up with an ingenious plan to unite Britain’s Black and white working classes.

“Claudia was a modern day superhero rooted in the real world, whose remarkable life and achievements straddled the USA, England and the Caribbean.”  says Solomon. “I could not be more excited to work with this global team of accomplished Black women to tell this inspiring story.”

“Greenacre Films is proud to partner with Frances-Anne and CaribbeanTales to tell the story of a remarkable Black woman whose achievements helped to shape the London we live in today,” says Marsh-Edwards, whose many acclaimed productions include Been So Long, starring Michaela Cole.

Imagine Media’s CEO Lisa Wickham believes that, “Frances-Anne’s film shines a much-deserved light on a Caribbean-born woman whose rich and beautiful legacy amplifies Black voices and experiences as a whole.”

Joining the team as co-creator and co-writer is British actress, writer and director Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Dr. Who, Invictus) and rising British screenwriter Omari McCarthy.

“Claudia’s work promoting women’s rights,  Black rights and the rights of the poor and disenfranchised laid the seeds for so much that followed  – African and Caribbean independence, civil rights, Pan Africanism and inevitably, today’s Black Lives Matter movement,”  adds Adjoa Andoh.

CLAUDIA’s development has been funded by Telefilm Canada. The project is one of thirteen (13) films selected for the Attagurl Program, a unique year-long lab supporting the development and distribution paths of amazing projects by women and non-binary around the world.

Media Contact: Fennella Bruce | 647.290.7610 | [email protected]

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. It includes: CaribbeanTales Inc a registered Canadian Charity, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, a film distribution entity, CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, now celebrating 15 years; Caribbeantales-TV, a VOD streaming service; the Creatives of Colour Incubator, a year-round development and production hub, and CaribbeanTalesFlix, its production arm.

In 2014, Frances-Anne Solomon founded CineFAM, to amplify the voices of women of colour creators worldwide – that includes an annual film festival, an incubator and film productions. 2020 sees the launch of the inaugural Windrush Caribbean Film Festival, a UK-based charity that celebrates the impact of the Windrush generation on life on Britain and the world.

Recent award-winning CTMG productions include HERO – Inspired by the Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr. Ulric Cross by Solomon (Trinidad & Tobago/Canada 2019); Caribbean Girl NYC by Mariette Monpierre (Guadeloupe/Canada 2016); Battledream Chronicle – A New Beginning, by Alain Bidard (Martinique/Canada 2016); and Kingston Paradise by Mary Wells (Jamaica/Canada 2014).

Greenacre Films is an independent production company founded by award-winning producers Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks. They bonded over their desire to create fresh, surprising stories with diverse voices. ​Working with great talent is the key to our success, we are an inclusive space that allows innovative ideas to be realised; where whether you are an award-winning writer or an exciting newcomer you feel able to be bold in your vision and creatively ambitious. Our television and film slate aims to connect with both the UK and global audiences and all, at their heart, are stories that explore the human condition in surprising and entertaining ways.

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 provides content creation across all media platforms, event management, marketing & PR Services, graphic design and training & consultancy. Imagine Media has developed and coordinated projects in Europe, North America, Africa and several Caribbean countries.

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For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, Canada, Thurs. March 19, 2020: Toronto-based CaribbeanTales Media Group has announced that it has begun work on a feature film based on the award-winning memoir In the Black by one of Canada’s most respected entrepreneurs, Denham Jolly. The feature development is supported by the Harold Greenberg Fund and the Telefilm Development Program. A short film based on Jolly’s early life is also being produced. His compelling memoir, that won the Toronto Book award in 2017, tells the inspiring story of his journey from Jamaica to Canada in the 1950’s, through his struggles to overcome racism and become an extremely successful businessman, activist, philanthropist, and publisher.

Solomon, the producer and director on this project, will work with screenwriter Andrew Burrows-Trotman and development executive Jamie Gaetz  to recreate the triumphs and trials of  Jolly’s life, the fabric of which is interwoven with Marcus Garvey’s ideals of economic self-empowerment,  music of the time, and the activism of several generations of Black Canadians who are also part of this remarkable story.

“Denham Jolly’s ten-year battle to win a license for Canada’s first black radio station, is the stuff of urban legend. In the Black shows Canada from a unique point of view. It’s the story of Canada herself, through a fresh and important lens. Our audiences are hungry for authentic stories about Canadian life: Real lives of real people who came to this country and made it their home.” says Solomon.

An icon of the Black community in Canada, Jolly is a founding member of the Black Business Professional Association, Harry Jerome Scholarship Fund, Harry Jerome Awards, Black Action Defence Committee and the Harriet Tubman Games, to name just a few organizations his hand has touched. A self-made millionaire, last year he paid off the mortgage for the Jamaican Canadian Centre and continues to be a philanthropist working behind the scenes to support numerous community causes.

“I cannot express how pleased and excited I am to know that my experiences in Canada and the building of the Black community in Toronto will be documented in film. Writing my memoir and receiving tremendous feedback for it has been both gratifying and humbling. Now, future generations will be able to watch my life story on the big screen,” says Jolly. “I trust Frances-Anne Solomon to tell this story with honesty, integrity and the directional creativity she always brings to every project she touches.”

Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, curator and entrepreneur.  A 2019 Director member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, her  third feature film Hero Inspired by the Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross has received wide critical acclaim on its worldwide tour, that includes theatrical runs in both Canada and U.K. and the Opening Night sold-out screening at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.  She is the founder and CEO of the multi-facetted CaribbeanTales Media Group. In 2017 she founded CineFam, to support bold original stories by women of colour creators. Prior to returning to Canada in 2000, Solomon had a successful career as a TV Drama Producer and Executive Producer with the BBC in England.

Andrew Burrows-Trotman is an established Canadian writer. He has been in the writer’s room for Frankie Drake (CBC), Homicide Club (Bell) and Diggstown (CBC).  He is currently working on a dramatic pilot with executive producer and former NBA player Steve Nash called Hardwood, and he is developing a miniseries based on Lawrence Hill’s acclaimed novel The Illegal (Conquering Lion, CBC).

Jamie Gaetz is a story editor and development consultant with extensive experience in the Canadian media industries. As an analyst at Telefilm Canada, she worked with clients across Atlantic Canada and in Quebec., part of  the team that nurtured talent behind many award-winning films, including two shortlisted for Cannes, one Sundance selection, a winner of the Claude Jutra Award, several selected for TIFF and a top download on iTunes.

The CaribbeanTales Media Group produces, markets and sells Caribbean-themed film and television content for global audiences. It includes the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, CaribbeanTales Incubator Program, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution and CaribbeanTalesFlix.

The Harold Greenberg Fund/Le Fonds Harold Greenberg is a national funding organization that supports the development of Canadian dramatic feature films. Since 1986, it has invested over $85 million in the Canadian film and television industry, which is more than 4, 000 projects.

For more information:

www.caribbeantales.org

https://www.bellmedia.ca/harold-greenberg-fund/

Media Contact: Fennella Bruce|FKB Media Solutions|[email protected]|647.290.7610

More photos and B-roll available upon request.

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For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, Canada, Thurs. Feb. 27, 2020: Following a sold-out Opening Night of the 28th Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF), with more than 1,000 patrons at the Director’s Guild of America in West Hollywood,  and two subsequent packed screenings, Frances-Anne Solomon’s HERO was awarded the newly created Ja’Net Feature Narrative Award, renamed in honour of PAFF co-founder, Ja’Net Dubois.  The well-loved actress and songwriter, who sadly passed away unexpectedly  during this year’s  festival, was best known for her role as Willona in the TV series, Good Times.

“We are proud to be the recipient of this inaugural award in honour of Ja’Net. Hero is a film about a Pan African trailblazer and it  resonated deeply with audiences at  this festival,” says Frances-Anne Solomon, who wrote, produced and directed the film. “It spoke to the heart of what PAFF  is about, and connected the dots for many people who lived this history and were not aware of the pivotal role that many Caribbean professionals like Ulric Cross played in the Pan-African Liberation movements.”

PAFF is the largest Black film festival in the United States and the largest Black History Month cultural event in the nation. It ran from February 11th to February 23rd. A record-breaking 225 films were selected for screening, representing 52 countries in 26 languages – that is, 86 feature films; 128 short films and 11 new media selection. Plus, ArtFest featured more than 100 fine artists from around the world. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has designated PAFF as an official qualifying film festival for live action and animation short films.

HERO is inspired by the extraordinary life and times of Trinidad and Tobago citizen, diplomat and judge Ulric Cross, the most decorated West Indian of World War II. He was a member of the highly decorated group of Caribbean pilots who flew combat missions for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War II. After his service, Cross went on to play an active and important role in the Pan African Movement, which led to the Civil Rights movement in the United States, and the creation of the 28 modern Caribbean and 54 modern African nations.

Funded by Canada’s Telefilm and Trinidad’s Republic Bank, HERO boasts an all-star international cast that includes Trinidad and Tobago’s Nickolai Salcedo , in the lead role of Ulric Cross, alongside Canada’s Peter Williams ( Stargate SG1 ), UK stars Joseph Marcell ( Fresh Prince of Bel Air ), Fraser James ( Resident Evil ), Pippa Nixon ( John Carter ), and Ghanaian superstars John Dumelo, Adjetey Anang and Prince David Oseia. HERO’s Opening Night screening at PAFF, was supported by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts; Imagine Media; CaribbeanTales; and California Pictures.

A trailblazer in the film and television industry , Frances-Anne Solomon is an  award-winning filmmaker, writer, producer, curator and  entrepreneur. She is a  2019 Director member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. HERO is her third feature film and has received critical acclaim on its worldwide tour, that has included a theatrical run in the U.K. Following a successful career as a TV Drama Producer and Executive Producer with the BBC in England, Solomon launched the CaribbeanTales Media Group in Canada and Barbados that includes an international film festival and distribution company. Full bio: www.francesannesolomon.com

Media Inquiries:

Fennella Bruce|647.290.7610|[email protected]

Follow HERO on Social

Facebook: @Hero4Alltime

Instagram: @Hero_Film

Twitter: @Hero_Film

Visit the HERO Website

About CaribbeanTales:

CaribbeanTales (CTMG) is a group of media companies that producers, markets, exhibits and distributes Caribbean-themed films from around the world, including CaribbeanTales Inc. – a registered Charity in Canada and CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution.  Activities include The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), now in its 15th year; the renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator Program (CTI) – a year-round development and production hub for Caribbean, Diaspora, and diverse Producers; CaribbeanTales-TV, a VOD streaming service; and CaribbeanTalesFlix, its production arm. More at www.caribbeantales.org

About California Pictures:

California Pictures was originally founded in 1944 by Howard Hughes and Academy Award winner Preston Sturges and reincorporated in 2008 by Steven Istock.  The company is focused on creating great movies and television content with dynamic characters, strong and personally identifiable themes and powerful journeys for a worldwide audience. California Pictures is an international production and distribution company, exhibiting and selling independent films across the world.  They produce and sell films at the Cannes, American, Berlin and Hong Kong film markets and represent a diverse group of filmmakers and projects from around the world including England, China, India, Jamaica, Mongolia, Canada, Denmark, Australia, South Africa, Scotland, Nigeria, Russia, Barbados, Columbia and Cambodia.

About 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 provides content creation across all media platforms, event management, marketing & PR services, graphic design and training & consultancy.  Imagine Media has developed and coordinated projects in Europe, North America, Africa and several Caribbean countries.

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CaribPR Wire, LONDON, UK, Sat. April 6, 2019: The life and times of Trinidadian war hero, judge and diplomat, Ulric Cross, will be portrayed in a new film – HERO to be screened at the British Film Institute, Southbank, London on May 18, 2019.

The feature film, produced by former UK resident, Frances-Anne Solomon, has already received international acclaim at its screenings in Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. (not the US yet).

The story told is of Cross, a trailblazer who made his mark on history as a Navigator of fighter planes in World War II. He became one of the RAF’s most decorated West Indian Airmen. He then went on to play a central role in the independence struggles of both Africa and the Caribbean.

“Ultimately, the story is about us. About who we are as Caribbean people and as citizens of the world,” says filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon. “In that spirit, we’re thrilled to be bringing HERO to the UK where much of the filming took place. It is particularly poignant that this year is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the first major generation of Caribbean arrivals in Britain — on the Empire Windrush.”

Filmed across the UK, Trinidad, Ghana, and Canada, HERO features a host of celebrated British actors including Joseph Marcell of Fresh Prince of Bel Air fame, playing the role of writer CLR James; Fraser James, of Terminator Salvation, playing the role of George Padmore and British-Nigerian actor Jimmy Akingbola, of BBC’s Holby, playing Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah.

Following its premier at the BFI Southbank, HERO will be taken across the UK in the lead up to the 75th Windrush celebrations in June.

For media enquiries, please contact Evadney Campbell, Shiloh PR, 07716 289 717 or email: [email protected]

HERO Inspired by the Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr Ulric Cross. TRAILER Click to view Trailer Filmed in Trinidad, Ghana, the UK and Canada, HERO is the story of Ulric Cross, who in 1941, left his small island to seek his fortune, and became the Royal Air Force’s most decorated West Indian. Then his life took a dramatically different course when he followed the call of history. He joined the African independence movements sweeping the world in the 50s and 60s.

About Frances-Anne Solomon An award-winning filmmaker, producer, curator and entrepreneur in film, TV, Radio and new media. Following a successful career as a TV Drama Producer and Executive Producer with the BBC in England,  Frances-Anne launched the CaribbeanTales Media Group in Canada and Barbados, which includes Production, International Distribution, and Industry Training worldwide.   Frances-Anne has just completed her latest feature film  HERO- Inspired By The Extraordinary Life & Times Of Mr. Ulric Cross, which (while in development) won the Best Feature Pitch at Discop 2016. About CaribbeanTales Media Group CaribbeanTales (CTMG) is a group of media companies that produces, markets, and exhibits Caribbean-themed films for Regional and international distribution, including CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, CaribbeanTales Inc –  a registered Charity in Canada. Activities include The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival now in its 14th year; the renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator (CTI) a year-round development and production hub for Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora Producers; Caribbeantales-TV a VOD  streaming service for Caribbean films; and CaribbeanTalesFlix, their production arm. https://www.facebook.com/HERO4ALLTIME/ https://www.instagram.com/hero_film/ https://twitter.com/hero_film?lang=en About the BFI The BFI is the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image. It is a cultural charity that: Curates and presents the greatest international public programme of World Cinema for audiences; in cinemas, at festivals and online Cares for the BFI National Archive – the most significant film and television archive in the world Actively seeks out and supports the next generation of filmmakers Works with Government and industry to make the UK the most creatively exciting and prosperous place to make film internationally Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE. BFI Southbank The BFI Southbank is open to all. BFI members are entitled to a discount on all tickets. BFI Southbank Box Office tel: 020 7928 3232. Unless otherwise stated tickets are £13.75, concs£11.25 including Gift Aid donation. Members pay £2.20 less on any ticket - www.bfi.org.uk/southbank. Young people aged 25 and under can buy last minute tickets for just £3, 45 minutes before the start of screenings and events, subject to availability - http://www.bfi.org.uk/25-and-under. Tickets for FREE screenings and events must be booked in advance by calling the Box Office to avoid disappointment

CaribbeanTales is a registered Canadian Charity no. 87896 4618 RR0001 committed to connecting people through film. This commitment to fostering intercultural understanding includes building community here in Canada, as well as a global community between Canadians and like-minded artists, cultural entrepreneurs, and community builders throughout the Diaspora.

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Canadian Black woman filmmaker presents the acclaimed feature film

CaribPR Wire, Toronto, ON, Mon. Dec. December 10, 2018: Inspired by the life and times of Mr. Ulric Cross, political activist in the 50s and 60s,  filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon’s acclaimed feature film, HERO, makes its Canadian theatrical premiere on Thursday, February 28, 2019, at the Royal Cinema, 608 College Street, Toronto.

“Ultimately, the story is about us. About who we are as Caribbean people and as citizens of the world,” says Canadian filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon. “In that spirit, we’re thrilled that Toronto’s Canadian premiere launches screenings across Canada and a cinematic world tour including Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe.”

HERO had its festival launch on home turf at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival in September 2018, where it won the festival’s coveted Audience Choice Award and was met with rave reviews. Earlier that month, a sold-out special preview screening in Toronto had paved the way for HERO’s broader theatrical release to come.. The Toronto Premiere screening presented by Caribbean Tales Inc. will be followed by a Talk Back interactive session with the actors and the official After Party.

About HERO

Shot in Trinidad, Ghana, the UK and Canada, HERO is the story of Ulric Cross, who in 1941, left his small island home in Trinidad to seek his fortune, and become the British Royal Air Force’s most decorated West Indian airman. His life took a dramatically different course when he followed the call of history, and joined the independence movements sweeping Africa in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

The film boasts an all-star, international cast including Peter Williams (Stargate SG1), Joseph Marcell (Fresh Prince of Bel Air), Fraser James (Resident Evil), Pippa Nixon (John Carter), Ghanaian superstar John Dumelo, and Nickolai Salcedo as Ulric Cross.

Watch HERO trailer here

Praise for HERO

“Frances-Anne’s work is heartfelt and powerful. It has and continues to play a vital role in carving out a space for underrepresented voices and important conversations.” – Tonya Williams, Reelworld Film Festival

“Solomon achieves a patina-ed narrative, patchwork quilting vignettes that go from Belmont, Trinidad, to Britain then Ghana, Cameroon and Tanzania…” – Christopher Pineiro, writer, artist, visionary.

“Uplifting and informative, the film features Nickolai Salcedo, a superb actor who commands attention. HERO is a cinematic juggling act, and director Frances-Anne Solomon pulls it off with aplomb.” – T&T Newsday

HERO Listing:

Date: Thursday, February 28, 2019

Location: Royal Cinema, 608 College Street, Toronto

Schedule:

7:00 pm.	Film Presentation: HERO – Inspired By The Extraordinary Life & Times Of Mr. Ulric Cross
9:15 pm.	Talk Back with the actors
10:00 pm.	After Party

Click here to buy tickets for the February 28 premiere

Social media:

Twitter: @CaribbeanTales_ @Hero_Film

Facebook: @CaribbeanTalesInternationalFilmFestival @HERO-InspiredByTheExtraodinaryLifeandTimesofMr.UlricCross

Instagram: @CaribbeanTales @Hero_Film

Hashtags

#ulriccross

#herofilm

Visit the HERO Website

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About Frances-Anne Solomon

Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, curator and entrepreneur in film, TV, Radio and new media. Following a successful career as a TV Drama Producer and Executive Producer with the BBC in England, she launched the CaribbeanTales Media Group in Canada and Barbados, that now includes production / distribution, and training worldwide.   Frances-Anne has just completed her latest feature — long anticipated: HERO Inspired by the Extraordinary Life & Times Of Mr. Ulric Cross, which (while in development) won Best Feature Pitch at DISCOP 2016.

About CaribbeanTales Media Group

CaribbeanTales (CTMG) is a group of media companies that produces, markets, and exhibits Caribbean-themed films for Regional and international distribution, including CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, CaribbeanTales Inc -  a registered Charity in Canada. Activities include The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival now in its 14th year; the renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator (CTI) a year-round development and production hub for Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora Producers; Caribbeantales-TV a VOD  streaming service for Caribbean films; and CaribbeanTalesFlix, their production arm.

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CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, FL, Dec. 06, 2017: Which top Caribbean television series concept will claim the Flow People’s Choice Awards selected from this year’s CaribbeanTales Incubator (CTI) program?  That is the question that is top of mind as Flow customers across the region add their voices to the selection process. There are only 10 voting days left and there is still time for customers to cast their vote.

Voting began on November 3^rd, 2017 to determine which of four original television series concepts, is the viewer’s top favourite show to watch.  The show with the highest number of votes will be crowned the top viewer choice award and wins a $2,500 USD prize. Customers can vote online HERE at: http://caribbeantales-tv.com/flows-people-choice-awards-2017-edition/

To cast your vote, make sure to watch the trailers and choose one of the four (4) shortlisted television series featured below:

1. Lexo Street by Trinidad’s Roger Alexis, the well-known creator of the beloved puppet “Santana” and other characters. His submission is a no-holds barred comedic dramatization of life on Lexo Street.
2. Inframundo described as not for the faint-hearted is an adventurous, unpredictable and full of mystery film project produced by Leticia Jones from the Dominican Republic.
3. Life or Death by Cristobal Krusen of Belize chronicles the twists and turns of a scandal-ridden presidential election in the small country of Costaguana as a son fights to save his father’s legacy.
4. The Agency by Paul O’Beale and Rick Elgood of Jamaica highlights the life and times of Ellen Thompson, a Jamaican single mother, who opens up her own agency to recruit and train rising entertainment stars.

Flow customers will have the exclusive opportunity to see these pilots aired on the Flow 1 network across the region late 2018/2019.  By casting your vote, you let us know the type of original Caribbean programming you want to see. The announcement of the 2017 Flow People’s Choice Award winner is scheduled for December 18^th, 2017.

John Reid, CEO of C&W Communications, the operator of Flow said, “This is Flow’s second year as lead sponsor of Caribbean Tales and we are proud of our continuously strengthening association. We are huge advocates of fostering an enabling environment for filmmakers in the region and across the Caribbean diaspora and we are intent on delivering high-quality, original Caribbean content which is relevant, relatable and appeals to our audiences.”

Reid also said, “By giving our Caribbean customers the ability to vote for their favourite television series and producer through the Flow Caribbean People’s Choice Award we have created a win-win opportunity for both film-makers and viewers – a highly interactive way for our customers to help select the Caribbean content that they really want to watch on TV and also support for the development of the Caribbean film industry.”

Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of Caribbean Tales said, “We’re delighted to be in partnership with Flow with this amazing initiative to create original television programming for our region.   The People’s Choice Award is a great interactive tool to measure the appeal of our original programming.  With this initiative, as well as the recent airing of the reality program ‘Me on My TV’, showing the filmmakers’ journey to our ‘Big Pitch’ in Toronto, Canada, we are proud of our collaborative efforts to bring the next generation of Caribbean filmmakers to Flow’s audiences.”

About THE CARIBBEANTALES MEDIA GROUP:

CaribbeanTales is a group of companies that produces, markets, and sells Caribbean-themed film and television content for global audiences. It includes CaribbeanTales Inc, a registered Charity based in Toronto, Canada; the Caribbean-Tales International Film Festival (CTFF) that produces events around the world; the renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator Program, a development and production hub for original Caribbean content; CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD), the largest full-service distribution entity dedicated to the monetisation of Caribbean content; CaribbeanTalesFlix, our production arm, and CaribbeanTales-TV, a video on demand platform.

About C&W Communications

C&W is a full-service communications and entertainment provider that delivers market-leading video, broadband, telephony and mobile services to consumers in 18 countries. Through its business division, C&W provides data center hosting, domestic and international managed network services, and customized IT service solutions, utilizing cloud technology to serve business and government customers.

C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network – the most extensive in the region.

Learn more at www.cwc.com, or follow C&W on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

About Liberty Global

Liberty Global is the world’s largest international TV and broadband company, with operations in more than 30 countries across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. We invest in the infrastructure that empowers our customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Our scale and commitment to innovation enable us to develop market-leading products delivered through next-generation networks that connect our over 24 million customers who subscribe to over 50 million television, broadband internet and telephony services. We also serve over 10 million mobile subscribers and offer WiFi service across 10 million access points.

Liberty Global’s businesses are comprised of two stocks: the Liberty Global Group (NASDAQ:LBTYA) (NASDAQ:LBTYB) (NASDAQ:LBTYK) for our European operations, and the LiLAC Group (NASDAQ:LILA) (NASDAQ:LILAK) (OTC Pink:LILAB), which consists of our operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Liberty Global Group operates in 12 European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Unitymedia, Telenet and UPC. The Liberty Global Group also owns 50% of VodafoneZiggo, a Dutch joint venture, which has 4 million customers, 10 million fixed-line subscribers and 5 million mobile subscribers. The LiLAC Group operates in over 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, Más Móvil and BTC. In addition, the LiLAC Group operates a sub-sea fiber network throughout the region in over 40 markets.

For more information, please visit www.libertyglobal.com.

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For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, Toronto, Canada, Mon. July 17, 2017: On July 6, 2017, the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) held its Media Launch and Program Reveal, co-presented by the Consul General of Barbados at Toronto, with an evening of community and celebration. The packed event featured the Canadian Premiere screening of Barbadian film legend-in-the-making Shakirah Bourne’s latest fantasy feature film: A Caribbean Dream. And the international release of the trailer for Toronto-based filmmaker Sharon Lewis’ fifteen-year labour of love: upcoming Afro-futurist feature film Brown Girl Begins.

“At twelve years old, CaribbeanTales has worked to create a brand for Caribbean Cinema, not divided by country, and inclusive of the Diaspora, that brings together our separate and collective legacies, our unique, distinctive and authentic stories,” said Frances-Anne Solomon, Executive Director, CTFF.

With fourteen (14) feature films and thirty (30) short films, from eighteen (18) countries, the twelfth annual CTFF promises to challenge viewers on the beauty and complexities of Caribbean legacy. This juried screening series will take place from September 6 to September 21, 2017 at The Royal Cinema, and at Cineplex Scotiabank Cinema.

The festival runs alongside the CaribbeanTales Incubator, which is a development and marketing hub for top filmmakers around the Caribbean and Diaspora.

“Through the Incubator, we’re pleased to support the growth of our Region’s film industry and simultaneously develop compelling creative content relevant for our Region, as well as a global audience – giving viewers at home and abroad top-notch Caribbean content,” said John Reid, CEO of Cable and Wireless / Flow, the lead sponsor of the CTFF and CTI.

The impact of this remarkable partnership is the exciting news that the three pilots emerged from CTI 2016, where funded by Flow and will be premiered at CTFF2017. With an amazing line-up of filmmakers for this year’s CTI, Flow has made the same commitment again.

Shakirah Bourne will also be representing Barbados at CTI 2017 with another fantasy project: Visit with the Obeah Woman. She will be joined by Karen Mafundikwa, with travel documentary series TRANScribe (Jamaica), Rick Elgood and Paul O Beale with comedic drama: The Agency (Jamaica), Roger Alexis with Santana spin-off Lexo Street (Trinidad and Tobago), Janine Fung’s comedy MIX UP (Trinidad and Tobago), Leticia Tonos with zombie thriller Inframundo (Dominican Republic), Louis Taylor and Altair Pflug Taylor with cynical reality show Spawn & Geezer (Canada), Kareem Mortimer’s “crama-dy” Sully’s Manor (Bahamas), Cristobal Krusen with political drama Life or Death (Belize), and Nicolas Cuellular and Nadege Robertson with environmental love story Fontizon – A Forest Grows in Haiti (Haiti).

These CTI filmmakers will be working over the next months to prepare for CaribbeanTales’ crowning Industry Event: The Big Pitch at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 10, 2017 where they will pitch their projects to industry professionals. A limited number of tickets will be available for non-industry members wishing to attend.

Stay up to date with all CaribbeanTales activities by following the CTFF, and on Facebook, as well as the full organization on Twitter or Instagram.

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For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, FL, Weds. May 30, 2017: The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival and their partners today announced their 2017 Short Film Challenges (SFC). The SFCs throw a spotlight on important themes, new voices, and urgent current social issues, providing a platform and visibility to emerging filmmakers.

This year there will be three (3) themes, and five (5) total challenges:

#INTERSECT – for Queer and Trans People of Colour (QTPOC), co-presented with the Toronto Queer Film Festival, features diverse stories of any theme and genre from across the Caribbean Region and Diaspora. This challenge is supported by the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention.

#BlackLoveMatters, is presented with the Toronto-based Black Daddies Club and Young and Potential Fathers, and will explore stories of black masculinity, fatherhood, and black love.

The three CineFAM challenges are part of CaribbeanTales the global initiative to support bold new stories by women of colour worldwide.  “CineFAM” in Haitian-Creole means “films by women”. This year there are three CineFAM challenges:

CineFAM Caribbean Smartphone Challenge – presented by Flow and in partnership with the Belize International Film Festival and the Chicago Caribbean Film Festival. This challenge is open to all Caribbean women living in the Region and Diaspora. The winner will receive a $1,500 USD prize, a combination of cash and equipment.

CineFAM Canada – presented with Trinity Square Video and Telefilm. Designed for Canadian women of colour creators through an open call for 5-minute screenplays. Two teams will be chosen to receive production support and in-kind funding up to $1500 through Trinity Square Video and CaribbeanTales.

CineFAM South Africa - presented with Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT) at the Durban Film Mart (DFM). The Challenge will take place on the second week of the Durban International Film Festival 2017, where SWIFT will offer a no-budget filmmaking workshop. A theme will be announced and filmmakers will have five days to write, shoot, edit and upload their films. Enrolment in the workshop is non-mandatory. The Challenge is open to all women-identified South Africans and will be open for submissions between July 18, 2017and July 23, 2017. Winners will get the opportunity to attend and premiere their films at CTFF in September 2017.

Participants in each Challenge have the opportunity to compete for a range of prizes.

Winning films will have their World Premiere Screening at CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) 2017, and receive distribution through CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution on CaribbeanTales-TV-com.

All films must be five minutes or less, must be world premieres, and must be owned, created and led by people of colour.

For more information and to submit to one of the challenges visit the website: http://caribbeantales-tv.com/short-film-challenges/.

Trinity Square Video is a space to re-imagine media arts. Founded in 1971, it is one of Canada’s first artist-run centres and its oldest media arts centre. As a not-for-profit, charitable organization Trinity Square Video aims to meaningfully engage diverse creative voices through its accessible production, post-production, and exhibition support. Trinity Square Video champions an evolving definition of video by presenting challenging contemporary art that inspires its members and audiences to expand their understanding of media art. We strive to create a supportive environment, encouraging artistic and curatorial experimentation with video that challenges notions of medium specificity and advances media art as a creative discipline.

Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation reporting to Canada’s federal government through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Headquartered in Montreal, Telefilm provides services to the Canadian audiovisual industry with four regional offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Sisters Working In Film and Television is a non-profit organization established in 2017 that aims to advance the participation of women professionals in film and telelvision. The organization lobbies for inclusion, gender parity and the support of womxn in the South African audiovisual landscape while forming pan-African and global networks for womxn professionals.

Durban Film Mart is a co-production and finance market and is a joint programme of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). DFM provides filmmakers from across Africa with a valuable opportunity to pitch projects to financiers, distributors, sales agents and potential co-producers, and to participate in meetings, project presentations and a series of master classes and workshops on the latest industry trends.

Flow us a customer brand under C&W, which is a full service communications and entertainment provider and delivers market-leading video, broadband, telephony and mobile services to consumers in 18 countries. C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network – the most extensive in the region. Learn more at http://www.cwc.com/, or follow C&W on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

CaribbeanTales is a group of companies that produces, markets, and sells Caribbean-themed film and television content for global audiences. It includes CaribbeanTales Inc. a registered Charity based in Toronto, Canada; the Caribbean-Tales International Film Festival (CTFF) that produces events around the world; the renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator Program, a development and production hub for original Caribbean content; CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD), the largest  full-service distribution entity dedicated to the monetisation of Caribbean content; CaribbeanTalesFlix, our production arm, and CaribbeanTales-TV, a video on demand platform.

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Leading Film producers begin production on three new pilots

Caribbean Girl NYC

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, FL, Fri. February 24, 2017: Three of the Caribbean’s leading film producers will now develop pilots for their original TV series projects, via funding from Flow and CaribbeanTales Media Group.

With $40,000 funding for each project, production work will begin on Battledream Chronicle, a sci-fi/drama animated series created by Alain Bidard, which is based on his groundbreaking multi-award winning feature film; Heat, a sweltering crime/drama series filmed in Barbados from iconic filmmaker Menelik Shabazz  (Burning an Illusion, The Story of Lover’s Rock and more); and Caribbean Girl NYC, an ensemble female-driven sitcom from NY-based Guadeloupian filmmaker/producer Mariette Monpierre, whose award-winning film Elza won, among others, the prestigious NYT award.

Support for these pilots is part of CaribbeanTales Incubator Program (CTI), a year-round development and production hub for Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora Producers to create of strong, compelling and sustainable regional content for the global market.

“We recognise the significant hurdles that Caribbean Producers face in financing and producing their content, and getting it out to audiences,” said John Reid, CEO of Cable and Wireless, operator of Flow and lead sponsor of CTI. “We are honoured to help support this programme that is enabling the production and monetisation of this exciting emerging cultural industry.”

The pilots will premier at the twelfth annual CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), of which Flow is also the lead sponsor. The festival celebrates the talents of established and emerging filmmakers of Caribbean heritage, and will be held in Toronto, Canada in September.

As an added bonus, an eight-part documentary series has been filmed and is currently in post-production. The series follows the ten teams of filmmakers who competed for this prestigious award, and will be shown on Flow1 later this year.

Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of CaribbeanTales, states, “We are delighted that, together with Flow, we are able to provide the Caribbean’s top filmmakers with funding and a platform to produce top quality, local, content with the capacity to reach audiences across the region and the world.”

CTI is now accepting applications for its 2017 programme online.

About CaribbeanTales

The CaribbeanTales Media Group is a group of companies that produces, markets, and sells Caribbean-themed film and television content for global audiences. It includes CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD), a full-service distribution entity dedicated to the monetisation of Caribbean content; CaribbeanTales Inc a registered Charity based in Toronto, Canada; the CTFF, CaribbeanTales Flix, our production arm, CaribbeanTales-TV, a video on demand platform, and the CTI.

About C&W Communications

C&W is a full service communications and entertainment provider and delivers market-leading video, broadband, telephony and mobile services to consumers in 18 countries. Through its business division, C&W provides data center hosting, domestic and international managed network services, and customized IT service solutions, utilizing cloud technology to serve business and government customers.

C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network – the most extensive in the region.

Learn more at www.cwc.com, or follow C&W on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

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The winning pitch from the CaribbeanTales incubator of 2016. (CaribbeanTales image)

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, Canada, Weds. Feb. 1, 2017: CaribbeanTales, a multi-faceted group of film production, marketing and distribution companies, has announced its annual Call for Submissions for the Film Festival and Producer Incubator programs that will take place in September 2017 in Toronto, Canada.  Applications for both programs will be open until March 31, 2017.

CTI Presented by Flow – Get Your Original Caribbean TV Series Made!

The renowned CaribbeanTales Incubator Program (CTI), now in its eighth year, has hosted over two hundred producers from across the Caribbean. Sponsored by Flow, the Caribbean’s leading telecommunications company, the CTI serves as a funnel for the creation of original TV Series.

CTI offers selected producers the opportunity to hone their creative and business skills within an international marketplace environment, producing compelling and sustainable content that increases the Region’s pool of world-class indigenous television content destined for the global market.

The CTI includes seven weeks of online tuition, and an intensive five-day workshop in Toronto that culminates in a Caribbean Pitch Breakfast at the TIFF Bell Lightbox attended by high-profile industry delegates.

There are several lucrative awards, including up to $30,000.00 USD in production funding for each of three (3) successful TV series pilots, that will be broadcast on Flow’s TV networks across the Region.

CTFF – Your Caribbean film on the international screen!

The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), now in its twelfth year, showcases diverse, shared stories and cultures, and celebrates the talents of established and emerging Caribbean filmmakers.

The Festival will hold its Media Launch and Screening in early July, and a series of community screenings throughout August. The Festival’s main juried program of feature films and shorts will be held between September 6 and September 20, 2017.

CTFF will program films of all lengths and genres.  Please note that films considered for programming must be Toronto Premieres.

For more information about the two programs, email [email protected].

To submit your films and projects visit the CTI website, and CTFF website.

For media inquiries contact [email protected].

ABOUT THE CARIBBEANTALES MEDIA GROUP:

CaribbeanTales is a group of companies that produces, markets, and sells Caribbean-themed film and television content for global audiences.

It includes CaribbeanTales Inc. a registered Charity based in Canada; the CTI; the CTFF; CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD), the largest  full-service distribution entity dedicated to the monetisation of Caribbean content; CaribbeanTalesFlix, our production arm, and CaribbeanTales-TV, a video on demand platform.

ABOUT FLOW:

About C&W Communications

C&W is a full-service communications and entertainment provider and delivers market-leading video, broadband, telephony and mobile services to consumers in eighteen countries. Through its business division, C&W provides data center hosting, domestic and international managed network services, and customized IT service solutions, utilizing cloud technology to serve business and government customers.

C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network – the most extensive in the region. Learn more at www.cwc.com, or follow C&W on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

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