Toronto, June 12th, 2026
The Engine Behind Screen Share: Meet Our Programming Team
At Screen Share, great programming happens because of the people behind it. This year, we are proud to introduce the dynamic team shaping the festival programme.
Behind every great festival is a team that loves film as deeply as the filmmakers themselves. Now that submissions are officially closed for both the Caribbean International Film Festival and the Caribbean Film Festival, we want to introduce our programming team.
Our programming is shaped by people who have lived inside Caribbean storytelling as performers, educators, critics, and creators.
Mandisa Pantin
PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR
Mandisa’s love for cinema began with a single sentence. Her mentor, Stephen Lee Pow, once described filmmaking as “painting with light” — and something clicked. That early spark set her on a path through filmmaking, programming, production, creative writing, and storytelling that continues to this day. As head of programming, Mandisa has been bringing both vision and heart to the selection process at CaribbeanTales International Film Festival for over 15 years.
“Our programming team has become more than collaborators — we have become family, united by a shared passion for Caribbean stories from across the world. Every programmer brings a unique voice, perspective, and deep love for storytelling, helping us build a space where cultures, histories, and communities meet through film. Their dedication, brilliance, and generosity make this not only an extraordinary team, but truly the best team in the world.”
– Mandisa Pantin
Mandisa’s creative journey has also been deeply shaped by the work of Mary Wells, the acclaimed Jamaican filmmaker and writer who made history as the first female director from Jamaica to helm a feature film, Kingston Paradise, and who wrote the screenplay for ‘Garvey’s Ghost’ alongside CTFF founder Frances-Anne Solomon.
Mary Wells
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
Peter Williams
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
Matthew Murrell
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
Matthew Bailey
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
Rounding out the programming team are three voices who bring a wealth of experience across performance, criticism, and education. Peter Williams, recognized for his powerful performances in Frances-Anne Solomon’s A Winter Tale, Garvey’s Ghost, and Hero — as well as his memorable role in Stargate SG-1 — brings a performer’s instinct for stories that move people.
Matthew Bailey, a UWI Film Programme graduate, offers a sharp and distinctly Caribbean critical lens through his engaging film commentary. And Matthew Murrell, a playwright, educator and theatre practitioner based in Barbados, brings years of mentorship and a deep commitment to nurturing the next generation of storytellers.
A Team Like No Other
From Jamaica to Trinidad to Barbados and beyond, this team reflects the breadth and richness of the Caribbean creative community. Their collective expertise, spanning performance, writing, criticism, education, and production, ensures that every film selected for ScreenShare is chosen with intention, care and deep cultural knowledge.
Screen Share: Caribbean Stories, Collective Power takes place in Toronto this September. Full programme and industry event details will be announced in the coming weeks.
CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) is an annual event that celebrates the talents of established and emerging filmmakers of Caribbean and African heritage who practice their art across the Caribbean Diaspora worldwide. The event takes place each year in September. 2026 will mark the 21st edition of the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, and we can’t wait to welcome our audiences back in person across the Greater Toronto Area!
The Caribbean Film Festival (CFF) is a pioneering initiative dedicated to advancing the Caribbean film industry and positioning the region as a vital centre for cinematic expression. CFF brings the Caribbean together through a shared commitment to storytelling, creating a space where filmmakers can showcase their work, connect with industry professionals and engage in meaningful exchange. At its core is a strategic effort to ignite and energize the region’s film and multimedia industry, fueling a fresh wave of production and creative content across the Caribbean. CFF seeks to strengthen collaboration across islands, expand global visibility for Caribbean film and contribute to a more sustainable and connected film ecosystem.
CaribbeanTales International Film Festival is deeply grateful for the support of Telefilm Canada, a federal cultural agency funded by the Government of Canada, dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry.
