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The Cutlass cutting it up after very successful debut in Toronto By Stephen Weir for the Caribbean Camera Kidnapping is a cottage industry in Trinidad. The Trinidad Guardian says that it “is a crime so epidemic that Trinidad ranks second in the world only behind Colombia for its rate of abductions”. Trinidad is so synonymous with the crime that it is not surprising that a kidnap movie made on Tobago has gained a global following!   Since its 2017 Canadian debut in Toronto at the local Caribbean Tales Film Festival, The Cutlass has become one of the most successful T&T feature films made. “We've actually had a bit of news for The Cutlass since we were in Toronto in September,” film producer Drew Umland told the Caribbean Camera. “ “Independent films with a very limited marketing budget really have an uphill battle trying to reach their market.  It truly is a grass roots effort.  Showing The Cutlass at festivals like Caribbean Tales FF in Toronto really make

Amira Al Amary stands in the middle of her  Danforth Street galle Art of Black History Month extended March  By Stephen Weir Although the books on Toronto’s 2018 Black History Month closed yesterday, a Danforth Avenue art gallery will continue to celebrate for a few more days.  The Black History Month Visual Arts Exhibition will remain on the walls of the Areej Gallery until March 3 rd . The small, street level gallery is showing and selling photographs and paintings by six artists from Africa, Canada and the Caribbean.     All of the works on display explore different aspects of the Black experience from Ethiopia  to Canada to Grenada.   Grenadian carnival scenes by Ian Grant   You can’t miss the Carnival pictures taken by Grenadian Canadian photographer Ian Grant.   The framed pictures dominate one whole wall at the Areej Gallery. The dramatic pictures were taken in Grenada at the annual August Spicemas street festival.   Grant’s pictures are from both sides o

News Story By Stephen Weir Caribbean Camera On February 16, in Toronto, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada awarded Mary Anne Chambers, Gordon Cressy, and Dr Joseph Y.K. Wong the Meritorious Service Medal. The three founded the  Harmony Movement  in 1994. This is an organization that was at the forefront in promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in Ontario.  "Today, Harmony Movement continues to offer youth leadership programs in schools, diversity training in offices," reads the GG's citation. "This is an award program that recognizes champions of social equality and inspires civic leaders of tomorrow." Mary Anne Veronica Chambers , is a former provincial politician in Ontario. The 67-year old Jamaican Canadian  was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 until 2007. 75-year old Joe   Cressy  is a social worker and former city councillor.  He worked as executive director of a group hom

Theatre Review By Stephen Weir, Caribbean Camera Today's Caribbean Camera - Review by Stephen Weir Toronto’s Factory Lab Theatre has given auidences an extra few days to see a very funny dark play about the police shooting of an unarmed black man.    Bang Bang (guess what it is all about) was to close earlier this week, but, due to overwhelming demand for tickets   five additional performances have been added   - the curtain drops February 24 th . A rookie female black police officer ( Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah) shoots an unarmed black youth, and a white playwright ( Jeff Lillico) uses the incident as inspiration for his new hit play. Problem is, the playwright changes an important fact about the outcome of the shooting –   the victim survived the shooting but the very successful play (which everyone believes) has the victim dying from his gun shot wound.   The black community believe the play and turn against the rookie cop. The play which got its world premier lat