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Showing posts with the label Caribbean Camera

LAST MINUTE CARMEN CUTLINE FOR THURSDAY MORNING CARIBBEAN CAMERA PAPER

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EDGY PRODUCTION OF 'CARMEN" COMING TO TORONTO'S MERIDIAN HALL America meets Spain on the Canadian stage this evening American dancer Kayoko Everhart born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and an African American father takes on the lead role in Spain's Compania Nacional de Danza's edgy production of "Carmen." This classic opera is set in Seville and explores, through dance, the consequences of jealousy and rage when the young gypsy Carmen refuses to be controlled by Don José. While Carmen represents freedom and independence, Don José symbolizes the struggle between his obsession for her and his duty as a soldier. The company performed last night in Toronto and apparently blew the lid off the staid Meridian Hall (St Lawrence Centre) will be performing again tonight (SATURDAY 3 FEB 24), and then they leave town. Will file a report after the show.  

FILM RIGHTS FOR CHARIANDY'S FIRST NOVEL PICKED UP

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Brother to Trini Vampires, Another Chariandy Book Film in the Works? Even as positive social media reviews come in for the current Netflix showing of "Brother," the Caribbean Camera has learned there could be another film based on a David Chariandy book in the works. We talked to Chariandy late last week about how he felt regarding the movie "Brother" being shown on the Netflix streaming service. The movie, made by Virgo Clement, is an adaptation of the Trinidadian Canadian author's hugely successful book published in 2017. "Brother" draws from the author's own upbringing in Scarborough. Chariandy, also a professor at Simon Fraser University (SFU), skilfully weaves a tale of two brothers, children of Trinidadian immigrants (turned into Jamaica in the movie), who grapple with violence and prejudice in a Toronto housing complex during the sweltering summer of 1991. The film became a success under Clement Virgo's writing and direction and was in

FILM FESTIVAL SCREENS A GOOD ONE TONIGHT AT HARBOURFRONT

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CTFF CONTINUES THIS EVENING WITH A RAP STAR AND A PUERTO RICO SEA GODDESS Garcia shoots Daughter of the Sea The party started last night with the opening night of Caribbean movies and happy fans. The 18th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival kicked off its 16 day run at the Harbourfront Centre. If you are reading this and it is Thursday, put down the paper and order tickets for tonight now because CTFF’s Day 2 might be a sell-out. It happens this evening at 7 pm back at Harbourfront. Tonight’s theme is "Standout Shorts," featuring eight short films that explore various aspects of Caribbean culture, from a movie about a Caribbean Sea Goddess to a Black British, Black and White Duppy. Director/Writer Alexia Garcia right The Caribbean Camera's top pick of the night is "Daughter of the Sea," a Puerto Rican colour film. After the death of her grandfather, a young woman experiences a spiritual awakening when she is called by Yemaya, the orisha Goddess of the Sea. The

FRONT PAGE STORY ABOUT TRIBAL CARNIVAL AND CARNIVAL NATIONZ by sweirsweir

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Music, Dancing and Stunning Carnival Costume Fashion Show At Midnight  photo by Gilbert Median Toronto was buzzing with excitement over the weekend as two of the city’s biggest masquerade bands, Tribal Carnival and Carnival Nationz, held their highly anticipated costume launches. On Friday night, the Grand Luxe Hall was transformed into a magical wonderland as Tribal Carnival’s sold-out event with the theme “Once Upon A Time” took place. Each of the band’s 11 sections presented costumes that told a different magical story, ranging from Jab Jab to Swan Lake. The event was a massive success, with 50% of the costumes being sold on the night. On Saturday night, the Tam Heather Curling and Tennis Club in Scarborough played host to Carnival Nationz’s launch. The band has been a part of the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival for 18 years, and this year’s theme was “Let’s Go Around the World in 100 Days.” A total of 17 sections modeled their stunning costumes, which will be worn during the Augu

HARRY BELAFONTE DEAD AT 96

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Canada sings a Jamaica Farewell to Belafonte Harry Belafonte, the legendary musician, actor, and civil rights activist, passed away yesterday at the age of 96. His death has sent shockwaves through the Canadian Jamaican community, which he had long championed. Belafonte was born in the USA in 1927 to Caribbean immigrants. He and his brother spent part of their childhood in his mother’s home country, Jamaica, (his father was from Martinique) but later moved back to Harlem. Throughout his career, he celebrated his Caribbean roots and used his platform to advocate for social justice and political change. Belafonte’s impact on the music industry cannot be overstated. He was one of the first Black performers to achieve mainstream success, with hits like “Banana Boat Song” and “Jump In The Line”. He also used his platform to bring attention to Caribbean music and culture, helping to popularize calypso in Canada, the United States, and beyond. In his home base of New York City, Belafonte was

PORTER NO LONGER ON TRACK FOR SEASON TWO

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  CBC Derails Award Winning Porter Canada/US series BY STEPHEN WEIR The Black-led CBC and BET Plus series The Porter has been making waves in the entertainment industry, but it seems that the success of the show has been short-lived. Despite winning 12 Canadian Screen Awards last week, including Best Drama Series, the series will not be returning for a second season. The Porter, a fictional series based on true facts, tells the story of Canada's Black train porters in the 1920s and a coming-of-age film set in Scarborough. The show was aired last year on CBC Gem in Canada and throughout the USA on BET Plus. The series was praised for its spotlight on the railway workers' pursuit of safer working conditions, better pay, and a union. The show boasts a largely Black Canadian creative team, including co-creator Arnold Pinnock and showrunners Marsha Greene and Annmarie Morais. Late last week, the winners of the Canadian Screen Awards were announced, and The Porter was the television

Calypso Mural Ideas Are Thrown At The Wall

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Best Ideas Are Being Thrown At The Wall Big Rig comes in at night on Bloor Street to work on new Mirvish complex photo Herman Silochan By Stephen Weir While you are mixing some outdoor paint, turn on the Calypso music real loud and then throw it against a blank wall. If luck is with you, you might have created Toronto’s next downtown mural, which will make Itah Sadu very very happy. The Caribbean Camera has been following how her  Blackhurst Cultural Centre, formally named A Different Booklist Cultural Centre to lead a project which will create a large outdoor mural devoted to calypso in the City of Toronto.  The proposed outdoor wall mural will be in the new Mirvish Village currently under construction where the iconic Ed’s Warehouse once stood at Bloor and Bathurst St.  Sadu’s bookstore and culture centre is directly across the street from where the mural will be installed. Earlier this week reporter Stephen Weir brought along some photographs of both Toronto and Bogota, Columbia mu

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CARIBBEAN

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Good News Travel Shortly   Stephen Weir In the last week this Caribbean Camera reporter has heard from the Bahamas, St. Kitts, St. Vincent and The Grenadines regarding travel changes that will impact Canadian visitors. As Covid-19 protection requirements are being reduced the news for travellers is all good.   The Islands of the Bahamas  has eased entry protocols, is welcoming more nonstop flights, and reopening favourite hotels. At the end of August, the Bahamas no longer requires cruise passengers entering the country to be vaccinated. However, the unvaccinated must present a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to travel to The Bahamas. In November Frontier Airlines will start nonstop flight from Atlanta to Nassau. Meanwhile Bahamasair will start new nonstop flights between Raleigh-Durham and Freeport, beginning in mid-November. Club Med Columbus Isle which was closed during the pandemic will be reopening its all-inclusive resort on San Salvador Island in late

TINY BOOKS TO GET LITTLE GIRLS SOLVING BIG PROBLEMS

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  A new series of kid's books meant to get girls interested in engineering at school Engineers live to solve problems.  For Mississauga author and engineer, the problem that she is trying to solve is how to inspire young girls to grow up and become engineers so that they too can remake the world. Jeannette Chau , is a Mississauga based electrical engineer who handles government relations work for the Professional Engineers of Ontario by day and writes children’s books by night!  She has two books under her Superwoman belt, both are aimed at inspiring Canadian children to earn their Iron Rings (Iron Rings are worn by Canadian-trained engineers, as a symbol of the obligations and ethics of the profession). Right now, it is estimated that only 13% of the engineering work force are female. That is a percentage that Chau wants to change ASAP.  “Why aren’t kids thinking about engineering as a career?” she said to the  Caribbean Camera  “I think women at an early age, want to go into help