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

CARIBPR WIRE, Toronto, ON, Mon. June 10, 2024: TEMPO Networks announces an exciting partnership with CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) to provide a platform for the CaribbeanTales catalogue to reach millions of mobile customers worldwide on IOS and Android devices. Under the agreement, TEMPO as lead partner, will give its customers access to a huge range of original locally and regionally produced content from the CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution catalogue directly through its TEMPO+ Caribbean app. This partnership will enable millions of viewers to access Caribbean content in ways that they have not been able to before.

“This groundbreaking partnership is destined to further catapult the distribution of culturally relevant Caribbean content worldwide and create important pathways for Caribbean producers and creatives,” exclaimed Frederick A. Morton Jr. aka Mr. TEMPO, Founder of TEMPO Networks. “I am thrilled to join forces with CaribbeanTales, which has been engaged in the important work of distributing Caribbean content for decades and shares our vision for the production and distribution of quality content documenting Caribbean history and lifestyle.”

“With our partnership we are building on our commitment to support, develop and distribute Caribbean content for Caribbean viewers worldwide,” explains Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of CTMG. “This partnership expands the reach of CaribbeanTales-TV and brings rich, new content to both the CT and TEMPO+ Caribbean platforms.”

For almost two decades, TEMPO has permeated the hearts and souls of viewers with the network emerging “as the ultimate platform for the expression of the entire Caribbean experience,” says Morton. “Caribbean people have a unique passion for living which shines through everything they do and TEMPO+ Caribbean is the bridge to this culturally rich and trendsetting community.”

CTMG is the leading supporter of content generation in the Caribbean with an enormous library of productions that tell the tales of everyday Caribbean people and the Diaspora through series, dramas, documentaries, animation, comedies and short films. All of this content is currently available on CaribbeanTales-TV.

“This wonderful partnership provides an injection of energy and resources into the world’s availability to access Caribbean content and has the potential to be a game changer for our emerging industry,” says Solomon. “There is now a mechanism through which the most compelling regional projects from the most talented producers can be viewed and disseminated, creating funds for the creators in the process. We are looking forward to working with TEMPO+ Caribbean, and with producers and other partners to build on this important milestone in the establishment of a sustainable indigenous industry for the Caribbean.”

Download the TEMPO+ Caribbean App on IOS and Android to access the widest library of Caribbean content in the world.

Links:
CaribbeanTales-TV – Online SVOD for Caribbean Content: https://caribbeantales-tv.com/

TEMPO on CaribbeanTales-TV: https://caribbeantales-tv.com/pages/TEMPO-on-cttv

TEMPO+ app on IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/TEMPO-caribbean-network/id1640195256

TEMPO+ app on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tvcoins.prod.TEMPO&hl=en_CA

CaribbeanTales-TV on TEMPO: https://www.temponetworks.com/caribbeantales-tv/

About CaribbeanTales Media Group
Built over 20 years, CaribbeanTales Media Group (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 is Black-owned, staffed and controlled. Our Board leadership and staff are mainly Black and are culturally diverse. 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 includes: CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD), the first full-service film distribution company in the English-speaking Caribbean; the Caribbean-Tales International Film Festival (CTFF) that produces festivals and events; the CaribbeanTales Incubator (CTI), a production hub creating world-class and compelling original content ; and CaribbeanTales-TV (CT-TV), an online streaming video service.

About TEMPO Networks
Founded in 2005, TEMPO Networks is the Caribbean’s leading television, media & entertainment life-style brand capturing Caribbean life & culture worldwide. With its flagship 24/7 linear TV station broadcasting throughout the Caribbean and the USA on cable to over 4M viewers, TEMPO produces popular Caribbean life-style content, featuring travel, tourism, music, cuisine, pop-culture and diaspora life. TEMPO recently launched its streaming platform, TEMPO+ Caribbean, on Apple IOS & Android platforms, with an exciting and ground-breaking slate of original and exclusively curated programming. Its diverse content caters to the very significant and varied worldwide demographic who love and enjoy all things Caribbean.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An image for use with this article is available HERE

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, 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.

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 | 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. 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.