Online Crush

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Title: Online Crush
Director: Ronney Dotel
Year: 2023
Country: Aruba
Runtime: 17′
Language: Papiamento
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
Online Crush is a short film by Djis Pa Hari that begins as a lighthearted tale of modern dating, but soon spirals into a chilling nightmare of obsession, deception, and danger — reminding us that sometimes the biggest risks of online love come from what’s hiding in plain sight. In his lonely search for love, awkward IT technician Marco becomes infatuated with Stephany, a stunning woman he meets on a dating app. Ignoring his colleagues’ warnings, he throws himself into the online romance, convinced he’s finally found someone special. But when Stephany invites him to her home, Marco discovers a disturbing truth: the person behind the screen isn’t who he thinks.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

Filemena

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Title: Filomena
Director: Ronney Dotel
Year: 2024
Country: Aruba
Runtime: 15′
Language: Papiamento
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
Filomena is a short film by A Djis Pa Hari about a modern family who moves into one of Aruba’s oldest houses, hoping for a fresh start. But as strange noises, eerie visions, and a mysterious neighbor hint at the home’s dark past, they soon uncover the chilling legend of Filomena, a spirit bound to the house and its doll. What begins as curiosity spirals into a night of terror, possession, and bloodshed, as the family learns that some histories refuse to stay buried.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

Bon Trabou

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Title: Bon Trabou (Good Job)
Director: Ronney Dotel
Year: 2021
Country: Aruba
Runtime: 10′
Language: Papiamento
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
Bon Trabou is a short film by Djis Pa Hari that, through humor, irony, and nostalgia, reflects on the struggles of ordinary Arubans in the shadow of the refinery’s closure, while celebrating their unbreakable spirit and creativity in finding meaning – even in the smallest victories. In 1985 San Nicolas, down-on-his-luck refinery worker Pancho loses everything but stumbles into an unexpected moment of heroism that earns him respect, free drinks, and a newfound sense of purpose. A satirical, nostalgic tale about survival, pride, and what it truly means to do a ‘good job’ (‘bon trabou’), without even being aware you did so.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

Dementia: The Island Journey

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Title: Dementia: The Island Journey
Director: Rianna Patterson
Year: 2023
Country: Dominica and United Kingdom
Runtime: 45′
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
Dementia: The Island Journey is an eco-friendly documentary by first-time filmmaker Rianna Patterson, founder of the Dominica Dementia Foundation, that explores dementia, culture, and her personal experience in the Commonwealth of Dominica, following the passing of her grandfather with dementia. The film sheds light on the challenges faced by people living with dementia and their communities in the Caribbean. Featuring voices from Dominica, Barbados, and Anguilla, it explores holistic treatments to dementia and draws on traditional experiences in a quest to understand the recipe for the meaning of quality of life. Winner of the Exceptional Showcase Award and the New Filmmaking Talent Award at the FilmFest World Independent Cinema Awards in 2025.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

WITCH: We Intend to Cause Havoc

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Title: WITCH: We Intend to Cause Havoc
Writer and director: Gio Arlotta
Producer, DOP and co-writer: Tim Spreng
Year: 2019
Country: Zambia, Czech Republic, Italy
Runtime: 88′
Language: English with English subtitles

Trailer

Synopsis
In the 1970s, WITCH (an acronym for We Intend To Cause Havoc) was Zambia’s most popular rock band. In the meantime, the legendary pranks of frontman Emmanuel ‘Jagari’ Chanda have been forgotten by most people. The ex-rocker, who converted to Christianity, now makes a living as a miner. Director Gio Arlotta and musician Jacco Gardner travel with Jagari through Zambia to reveal and revive his past as a rock icon. Their musical journey of discovery results in a reunion of WITCH, which is going on a European tour for the first time. Apart from a portrait of a Zambian music icon, this documentary also works as an example of the rich musical cross-pollination between Europe and Africa. Bands like The Rolling Stones were inspired by the rhythms and grooves of African artists. In turn, they inspired countless African musicians to climb the stage themselves and combine psychedelic rock with more traditional influences. WITCH: We Intend To Cause Havoc is an ode to this undervalued musical movement from Zambia.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

Surfing Soweto

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Title: Surfing Soweto
Director: Dimi Raphoto and Sara Blecher
Year: 2010
Country: South Africa
Runtime: 82′
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
‘Surfing’ on top of speeding trains is the ultimate adrenaline experience for South Africa’s disillusioned youth. It’s illegal, dangerous and has already killed hundreds. Surfing Soweto is the story of this forgotten generation of alienated youth, born during the glowing promise after the demise of apartheid and yet without the skills or wherewithal to reap the benefits of their newly won freedoms. Four years in the making, this documentary chronicles the lives of three of the most notorious train surfers in Soweto: Bitch Nigga, Lefa and Mzembe. Surfing Soweto shows them riding on the top of trains, which in South Africa is known as ‘ukudlala istaff’, ducking as they hurtle past lethal electrical cables, and also in the intimacy of their homes and families. ‘I always wanted to be a stuntman, explains Bitch Nigga. He doesn’t just surf trains. He ducks bridges, does push ups and has come up with his own entertainment routine, performed from the top of a racing train. Most of the surfers come from broken homes. They spend their days drinking, smoking and teaching each other the latest train surfing techniques. This documentary aims to understand their frustrations and to document the lives of the new generation of youth in Soweto.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

Strike a Rock

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Title: Strike a Rock
Director: Aliki Saragas-Georgio
Year: 2017
Country: South Africa
Runtime: 87′
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
Marikana is a mining town in South Africa where police opened fire on striking workers in 2012, killing a shocking total of 34 men. It marked the start of a grim conflict between women from the community and the mining company, which breached its obligations for worker housing in scandalous ways. The two leading campaigners are grandmothers, one of whom, the indomitable Primrose, even manages to win a seat in parliament, raising their battle for justice to a whole new level. In this intimate, close-up account, the poor but utterly determined women question why they get so little in return for the valuable platinum that’s mined there, day in and day out, for wealthy British people. Their years-long struggle for justice and recognition is being ignored by the higher-ups at the company, so what should the women do to make sure they are heard? Will the solidarity and close friendships in the village survive the onslaught from the forces at the center of power, or will their struggle be used for political gain?

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at yardvibes.nl.

Jamesie: King of Scratch

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Title: Jamesie: King of Scratch
Director: Andrea E. Leland
Year: 2006
Country: U.S. Virgin Islands
Runtime: 70′
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis
Award-winning filmmaker Andrea E. Leland collaborated with James Brewster to create a 70-minute documentary and archiving project. The result of their collaboration is a spirited musical journey to the Caribbean focusing on Scratch band music (also known as Quelbe) , an indigenous, grass-roots form of folk music from the Virgin Islands that was recently declared the “official” music of the Virgin Islands. 79-year old James Brewster, the central character of this documentary, is an uncompromising, humorous, and provocative musician known for his playful compositions and lively performances and is the legendary ‘King of Scratch’.

This engaging documentary includes performances by Jamesie and the All-Stars at a St. Croix nightclub; an agricultural fair on St. Croix; the World Music Festival and the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago; the Lotus Music Festival in Bloomington, Indiana; jamming with his friends; and performing and teaching in Denmark. Interspersed with these performances is more intimate footage of Jamesie talking with other musicians about the historical significance of the music and explaining how he came to create some of his songs and footage at his home revealing his more personal side. The documentary celebrates Scratch band music and one of it’s most legendary performers. It provides a unique opportunity to view up close and personal the US Virgin Islands’ deep-rooted musical tradition.

YardVibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at bit.ly/yardvibes.

Yurumein (Homeland): The Caribs of St. Vincent

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Title: Yurumein (Homeland): The Caribs of St. Vincent
Director: Andrea E. Leland
Year: 2014
Country: St. Vincent and the United States
Runtime: 50′
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Trailer

Synopsis

Yurumein (your-o-main) reveals the powerful, untold story of Carib-Garifuna resistance to slavery—a narrative that rightfully belongs in the history of the African Diaspora. The film delves into the painful history of the Caribs on St. Vincent, recounting the tragic extermination of many ancestors by the British, while offering an intimate look at Garifuna culture in transition today.

Through firsthand accounts, the film amplifies the voices of Carib descendants who remain on St. Vincent and those of returning descendants whose ancestors were exiled to Central America – where Garifuna traditions have survived and thrived. Yurumein follows members of the Garifuna Diaspora as they reunite and make a collective pilgrimage to Balliceaux, the sacred site of the genocide. This profound journey reveals the emergence of a movement to revitalize Garifuna language, music, dance, and rituals.

As Garifuna from around the world come together to honor the resilience and legacy of their shared ancestors, they also discover new possibilities and hope for the future of their culture and its role in a larger global community.

‘The film considers the effects of colonization, slavery, genocide, and exile as they continue to reverberate across generations, but also beautifully highlights the central role of dance, drumming, and food ways in diasporal survival and revival. This film will be a great resource for any student of Caribbean history or culture’ (Monica Hairston O’Connell, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College Chicago).

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at www.yardvibes.nl.

]]> https://www.caribbeancreativity.nl/product/the-garifuna-journey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-garifuna-journey Tue, 31 Dec 2024 10:00:25 +0000 http://caribbeancreativity.nl/?post_type=product&p=1166 The Garifuna Journey Rent this film on Vimeo Details Title: The Garifuna Journey Director: Andrea E. Leland and Kathy L. Berger Year: 1998 Country: Belize and the United States Runtime: 46′ Language: English Subtitles: None Trailer Synopsis Genocide, exile, and persecution could not extinguish the resilient spirit of the Garifuna people. Descended from African and […]]]>

The Garifuna Journey

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Details
Title: The Garifuna Journey
Director: Andrea E. Leland and Kathy L. Berger
Year: 1998
Country: Belize and the United States
Runtime: 46′
Language: English
Subtitles: None

Trailer

Synopsis

Genocide, exile, and persecution could not extinguish the resilient spirit of the Garifuna people. Descended from African and Carib-Indian ancestors, the Garifuna fiercely defended their homeland on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. Their resistance to slavery led to their forced exile by the British in 1797, who relocated them from St. Vincent to Roatan in Honduras. Despite the hardships of exile and diaspora, their vibrant culture endures today – a remarkable story that deserves recognition in the history of the African Diaspora.

This documentary, told through the voices of the Garifuna themselves, explores their rich history, language, cuisine, music, dance, and spirituality. It celebrates their culture through captivating scenes of fishing, cooking, dancing, preparing cassava, thatching a temple, and engaging in spiritual rituals, all of which highlight their deep connection to their Carib-African heritage. A collaborative effort between Garifuna tradition bearers and filmmakers, this unique insider-outsider project captures the indomitable spirit of the Garifuna people. With vivid footage shot entirely in Belize, the documentary celebrates the survival and continuity of Garifuna culture against incredible odds.

Yard Vibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at www.yardvibes.nl.