Cinema Lime Under the Stars Scores with Belmont Residents

Scores of Norfolk Street, Belmont neighbours, families as well as members of other communities throughout the Port of Spain North/St. Ann’s West area turned out for an evening of entertaining local films and an outdoor cinema lime on Saturday 27th February 2010.

The project titled the “T&T Film Nights – Cinema Showcase” is a collaboration between the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC), the Office of the Mayor of Port of Spain, First Citizens Bank and the Regional Corp???….. The inaugural film Nights was launched under a full moon at Belmont Park in Norfolk Street.

Four (4) local films were screened showcasing the work of local film-makers, enabling the appreciative patrons to view films rarely seen in the local cinemas and on television. The film-makers who were present in the audience had the rare opportunity to observe the reactions to their films and interact directly with the people in the intimate Norfolk Street Park setting.

The venue was prepared for ‘picnic seating’ with the films shown on an inflatable thirty-foot (30ft) screen sponsored by First Citizens and supplied and operated by the Cinema Outdoor Movies & Entertainment (C.O.M.E.) company. The “T&T Film Nights – Cinema Showcase” in Belmont attracted a wide range of attendees of all ages, ethnicities and even a few international visitors from the United States and Australia.

In attendance was the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, The Honourable Minister Gary Hunt, who is the Member of Parliament for the Port of Spain North/St. Ann’s West constituency in which Belmont is located. The Minister was very pleased by this initiative of the TTFC and expressed his full support for the films being screened in other communities within Belmont and beyond.

As the sun went down, the audience was treated to two episodes of “Herman’s Tales” by Roger Alexis and Kirk Budhooram, the short film “Coolie Pink and Green” by Patricia Mohammed and an animated short entitled, “Vendor Rivalry” by Ansar Sattar.

From a post-event survey conducted by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company, it was evident that most attendees thought that it was very important for this type of event to be held in their neighbourhood. Almost all patrons responded that the outdoor cinema, community film screening concept was an excellent one, and were elated that the community of Belmont was chosen as the first venue. An attendee of the event, Mr. Arthur McShine, clearly moved by the event wrote to the TTFC post the event and noted, “I cannot remember the last time Belmont people were out under a moonlight sky, in peace, and then went home kids and all at 8:30pm. Except for cars, streets are generally deserted by nightfall.”

The project also attracted private sponsorship from the Diana Sweet Company Ltd. providing free candy to the attendees and Belmont concessionaire, Mr. Dale Wilson owner of “Shortman Doubles” did a good night’s trade providing hot tasty doubles to the patrons gathered.

The TTFC plans to continue the initiative throughout Trinidad and Tobago. The next T&T film Nights – Cinema Showcase project rolls into Arima on 20th March 2010 and next to festival Square, Point Fortin on 27 March.

For more information about the TTFC’s “Film Nights”, interested persons are invited to visit the company’s website at www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com and its FaceBook fan page.