Awards season is officially under way in the US, with the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild events already in the rearview mirror, and the BAFTAs and Oscars fast approaching.
As films are already in the forefront of fans’ minds, what better time to hold a mini-festival in Cayman, focussing purely on documentaries that cover subjects from mental health and the environment to crypto-currency and music.
The Cayman Documentary Festival will be held at Camana Bay Cinema from 16-21 March, with five main documentaries and five panel discussions on the schedule. There will also be other local pieces included, such as ‘Island Jobs: From Classrooms to Careers’ by Cayman Current and the Compass’ special report on the housing crisis, produced by Alvaro Serey and James Whittaker.
According to a press release from organisers, “The Cayman Documentary Festival will bring a selection of internationally acclaimed and local films to the big screen… [It] aims to spark dialogue in the community, particularly amongst our youth, on some of the most relevant challenges facing society today and to promote the art of documentary filmmaking.”
Ana Russell-Omaljev, creative director and content programmer of the festival, spoke about why she picked the titles she did.
“In today’s world, documentaries are a powerful tool in the realm of educational entertainment. I have chosen the five documentaries featured in this festival based on their positive values and their ability to unite communities,” Russell-Omaljev said.
In order to create an interactive element for the audience, there will be a panel discussion immediately after each film, hosted by local community leaders.
The festival is a not-for-profit initiative and will benefit local charities such as Plastic Free Cayman, Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, Alex Panton Foundation, the National Children’s Voluntary Organisation and Cayman Arts Festival. Tickets for all screenings are $25.
Programme
16 March @ 6:30pm
‘TINA’ (2021)
Panel association: CI Crisis Centre
This film charts Tina Turner’s early fame, her personal and professional struggles, and her return to the world stage as a global phenomenon in the 1980s.
Be privy to a wealth of never-before-seen footage, audio tapes, personal photos, and new interviews with Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, journalist Kurt Loder and others, as well as the legendary singer herself.
17 March @ 6:30pm
‘I am Greta’ (2020)
Panel association: Plastic Free Cayman
In August 2018, Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old student in Sweden, started a school strike for the climate. She sat outside parliament to make a point to politicians, basically stating that if they didn’t care about her future on Earth, why should she care about her future in school? Within months, her strike evolved into a global movement.
Greta, a quiet, northern European girl on the autism spectrum, is now a world-famous activist. The team behind ‘Greta’ began following her from the very first day of her strike. Film critic Matt Fagerholm of rogerebert.com said, “‘I Am Greta’ warrants a recommendation purely on the basis of Thunberg herself, whose formidable passion and disarming humanity shine through in every frame.”
18 March @ 6:30pm
‘THE GREAT DISCONNECT’ (2019)
Panel association: Alex Panton Foundation
We are living in a time that has been described as the age of loneliness. Statistics reveal that, over the last few decades, the number of admittedly lonely people has doubled. While it’s true that this isolation impacts us psychologically and emotionally, what many of us don’t realise is the negative impact it has on every aspect of our health and well-being
Wellness expert Tamer Soliman attempts to address these issues by visiting cities across North America, along with a team featuring Caymanian videographers and crew.
19 March @ 6:30pm
‘CRYPTOPIA: Bitcoin, Blockchains and the Future of the Internet’ (2019)
Panel association: Blockchain Association of the Cayman Islands (Charity: NCVO)
Bitcoin has been called one of the most disruptive technologies of our times, threatening banks by building an alternative and decentralised currency system. Despite this potential, Bitcoin is undergoing severe price volatility and the community is facing a bitter ‘civil war’. Join filmmaker Torsten Hoffmann (‘Bitcoin: The End of Money As We Know It’) on his journey to better understand this technology and the promise of web 3.0.
20 March @ 6:30pm
‘Summer of Soul’ (2021)
Panel association: Cayman Arts Festival
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary — part music film, part historical record – created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just 100 miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park. The footage was largely forgotten… until now.
This film won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and it is nominated for an Oscar.
21 March @ 6:30pm
‘ROADRUNNER: A film about Anthony Bourdain’ (2021)
Panel association: To be announced
Filmmaker Morgan Neville examines the uncommon life of world-travelling chef, writer, and icon Anthony Bourdain, who lived his life unabashedly.
| Tickets for all screenings are $25. Buy tickets online at www.fandango.com/camana-bay-cinema-aawgb/theater-page.
Related Videos
