Dozens joined the virtual launch of the Inaugural Windrush Caribbean Film Festival (WCFF) on 29 September 2020.
The launch opened with a lively Q&A with Windrush campaigner Dr Patrick Vernon OBE, and two of the founders of the festival, award winning film producer, Frances-Anne Solomon and Director of Recognize Black Heritage and Culture, Garry Stewart as host.
The online launch attracted huge interactions with viewers expressing their support for the initiative which included the launch of the first ‘Paulette Wilson’ Windrush Award.
This honour will be given in memory of the prominent Windrush campaigner, who was wrongly detained by the Home Office, and who went on to become the face of the Windrush Scandal campaign. The award will be given to an individual who has been instrumental in advancing the narrative to achieve justice for the Windrush generation.
“ Since Capitalism is now the god in England, we need to make films and books for our children growing up in the UK and the Caribbean to know the stories, the truths from 5000BC to now.” Stated, Ceronne
One viewer, Tendayi says: “It would be good to get younger black role models involved, e.g Marcus Rashford with the vouchers, to raise the profile of WCFF.”
“It was fantastic to see our audience join us for the first WCFF. This only confirms the need for an important festival like ours, and why its educational message at its heart is so important,” said Garry Stewart.
Solomon also expressed how pleased as an organizer and founder she was with the success of the launch. “We are thrilled that the Media Launch brought together people who were so passionate to know that finally, our stories will be told by us and to see the tremendous power of unbiased history and films and how they’re shaping our society and the next generations. In the upcoming months, we look forward to growing our community and sharing these stories across the UK.”
Tributes were also paid to Guyanese author and film maker Michael Gilkes who died of Covid-19 in April. His son Mark Gilkes and his friend and colleague Christopher Laird remembered him and his contributions to Caribbean filming, ahead of the screening of his film, Sargasso.
WCFF will run for six days as a digital festival of screenings, discussions and master classes. Under various themes including race immigration and social justice, it will celebrate the contributions and impact of the Windrush generation on life in the UK today.
WCFF is sponsored by Solomon’s Caribbean Tales Media Group, and is led by a core team including Stewart, Joy Coker of Alt-Africa Magazine as Lead Programmer, and Patricia Hamzahee of Integriti Capital, with support from The Funding Network and Unison alongside a raft of community supporters from across the UK.
Throughout the Festival, audiences will watch films, engage in discussions, and participate in master classes, from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Each screening will be coupled with a Q&A with a panel of experts.
For media interview requests or further information, please contact Evadney Campbell, of Shiloh PR at contact@shilohpr.com or +44(0) 7716 289 717.
NOTE TO EDITOR
The full festival schedule and trailers will be available at www.windrushfilmfestival.com
Click the Link here.
