CayFilm to feature several premieres
(CNS Local Life): Among the many events scheduled for this year’s CayFilm Cayman International Film Festival are several Caribbean and world premieres. These films include a documentary on the damage plastic straws are doing to both land and sea, and a feature exploring the issues of faith and equality. Straws, which is narrated by actor and screenwriter Tim Robbins, will be making its Caribbean premiere at the festival.
Director and producer Linda Booker made Straws to educate the public about the growing plastic pollution crisis. The documentary exposes the negative impact of the billions of plastic straws that wind up in landfills and oceans.
The film charts the history of straws and reveals people’s obsession with single-use conveniences, stated a press release. Throughout the documentary, marine researchers, citizen activists and business owners discuss how it’s possible to effect change through use of sustainable alternatives to plastic, such as Aardvark paper straws.
“Before diving into the research for this project, I didn’t realise something as small as a plastic straw was such a significant litter and ocean pollution problem,” said Booker. “My goal for this documentary is to make people think about how small habits can add up to huge impact. Removing plastic straws is a tangible, simple change people and businesses can do that can truly help make a difference.”
Making its world premiere is Testament, a feature film that poses questions about faith. “It’s hard marketing a film that deals with faith without people dismissing it right off the bat as soon as they suspect that there might be religious overtones,” said director Tim Ritter. “I also don’t see many films out there featuring minorities in the lead roles that aren’t about the ‘minority experience,’ so we have that to deal with, too.
“The bottom line is that this film was made by serious and accomplished filmmakers and actors, and we’ve created something new and challenging that we haven’t seen the likes of in either the mainstream or Christian film markets right now. So I’m very interested to see whether people line up for it or reject it.”
Demi Castro plays Simon, a regular man who is asked to be something more when he is swept up into a popular movement only to see the leader of that movement killed violently. Everyone in the movement turns to Simon to keep the movement alive. The only problem is he’s not even sure he believes in the movement any more.
“This film has a lot of relevance,” said Castro, an acting veteran of such popular TV series as Bloodline and Graceland. “It has the ability to affect a lot of people’s lives and to make a difference. There’s not too much out there like that.”
Straws will premiere Saturday, 1 July, and Testament will be screened Monday, 3 July.
Category: Film
