Carnaval Film Festival 2025: PAN! Our Music Odyssey
Join us on ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ญ๐ญ, at 21.30, in ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ for the special screening of ๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ at the opening night of the ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น! With three shorts ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น, ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป, and ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐: ๐ก๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น.
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ: ๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐
Date: Friday, July 11, 2025
Time: 21.30 (doors open: 21.15)
Venue: Melkweg Cinema
Title: ๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐
Year: 2014
Director: Jรฉrรดme Guiot
Country: Trinidad+Tobago
Duration: 87′
Language: English with English subtitles
Extra: The short films ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ aka ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น (1957, T&T) + ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป (2024, UK), and ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐: ๐ก๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น (2024, UK)
More info & tickets:ย https://bit.ly/carnaval-film-festival-2025-panย (soon available)
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐
๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ (2014) is a compelling docudrama that chronicles the birth and global journey of the steelpan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago and the only acoustic musical instrument invented in the 20th century. Directed by Jรฉrรดme Guiot and written by pan historian Kim Johnson, the film weaves dramatic reenactments with real-life stories to trace the steelpan’s evolution from its roots in the impoverished neighborhoods of 1940s Trinidad to its status as a symbol of cultural pride and international unity.
The narrative follows “Goldteeth,” a fictionalized character inspired by real events, who, along with his brother Roy, pioneers the transformation of discarded oil drums into musical instruments. Their journey from street gangs to steelband innovators mirrors the broader struggle of the Afro-Trinidadian community to assert their identity and creativity in the face of colonial oppression. Interlaced with these dramatizations are contemporary accounts of pan enthusiasts from around the world who converge annually in Trinidad for Panorama, the world’s premier steelband competition. These stories highlight the steelpan’s universal appeal and its role in fostering cross-cultural connections.
With a vibrant soundtrack featuring traditional pan music and contributions from artists like Bunji Garlin and Jamie XX, PAN! Our Music Odyssey offers an immersive experience that celebrates the resilience, innovation, and enduring spirit of the steelpan movement.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น, ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐: ๐ก๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, also known as ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น, is a 1957 British Pathรฉ newsreel that captures the Trinidad and Tobago’s annual Carnival. As such, Carnival Story serves as a historical snapshot of Trinidad’s Carnival in the 1950s, offering insights into the significance of this vibrant festival.
๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป is a 2024 British short documentary that delves into the life and legacy of Claudia Jones, a Trinidad-born journalist, activist, and visionary who played a pivotal role in establishing the foundations of the Notting Hill Carnival. In response to the 1958 Notting Hill race riots, Jones organized an indoor Caribbean carnival at St Pancras Town Hall in January 1959, aiming to uplift the Caribbean community and promote cultural unity. This event, featuring calypso music, steel bands, and dance performances, is widely regarded as the precursor to the annual Notting Hill Carnival.
๐ก๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น is a short film by DOGMA85 exploring the rich history and cultural significance of London’s Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s largest street festivals. Through a blend of archival footage and contemporary scenes, the film traces the carnival’s evolution from its inception in 1966 to its present-day celebration of Caribbean heritage, music, and community spirit. Highlighting the five disciplines of carnival (masquerade, calypso, soca, steelpan, and sound systems), the documentary offers viewers an immersive experience into the vibrant traditions that define this iconic event.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
The ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ invites you to a vibrant ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ๐ celebrating and reflecting on the spirit of Carnaval worldwide. Held for the first time in Amsterdam from ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ญ๐ญ-๐๐ฏ, this unique ๐ฏ-๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น explores how Carnaval has inspired filmmakers around the world to tell stories of joy, resistance, community, and freedom. From the dazzling parades of ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ and ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป to the rhythmic expressions of ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ, and the ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป and the Prince Carnaval traditions of the ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ and ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ด๐ถ๐๐บ, Carnaval is a global phenomenon, rooted in ๐ต๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐. The inaugural ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น honors the complexity, creativity and resistance of these traditions, while asking urgent questions about culture, identity, and belonging in a changing world.ย 
The ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ features ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป-๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ at ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ and @๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ in ๐๐บ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ in the weekend of ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ญ๐ญ-๐ญ๐ฏ, as well as an extensive ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ with ๐ฑ๐ฌ+ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ on Carnaval available wordwide. From the opening night screenings of ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐, on ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ผ’๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น, and ๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐, on ๐ง+๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น, often called ‘๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต’, to documentaries and shorts on Carnaval from across the globe, particularly in the ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป (๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ถ, ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ผ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐), but also in ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ข๐ฟ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐, ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ, ๐๐ฒ๐๐ and ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐, the ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น offers a cinematic journey into the heart of the roots and rhythms of Carnaval worldwide.ย 
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐
Caribbean Creativity is an Amsterdam-based non-profit organization that, since 2008, is committed to the programming and promotion of Caribbean and Caribbean-themed cinema in the Netherlands. Over the years, Caribbean Creativity has hosted over 300 screenings in film theatres and at film festivals, including numerous premieres. In 2020, they hosted their first film festival, the Marley75 Film Festival, in Melkweg Cinema and various other venues across Amsterdam. That very same year, they launched YardVibes, a streaming platform featuring content from independent Caribbean and African filmmakers, where they offer over 100 titles and host online film programs, such as the annual Global Extraction Film Festival (2020-2022). The Carnaval Film Festival marks the second on-location film festival they are organizing. For more information, visitย www.caribbeancreativity.nl.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ
Africadelic is a non-profit organization that, since 2016, is committed to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands. Each year on and around International Africa Day (May 25), they organize the Africacadelic Festival in Paradiso and various other partner venues across Amsterdam. This year, the 10th edition of the festival was held from May 21-31, 2025, with a special focus on the 50th anniversary of independence (1975) of five African countries (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Sรฃo Tomรฉ & Prรญncipe, and the Comoros) as well as Suriname. In addition, they are (co-)organizing one-off events throughout the year, including the inaugural Carnaval Film Festival. For more information, visitย www.africadelic.com.
