Mailbox – Vanishing Sail Wins Again

I met Alexis Andrews at his home at Indian Creek, Antigua some years ago (maybe around the late 90s/early 2000s-ish) to interview him about his photography. I’ve written about said photography a couple of times for local and regional publications. Andrews is Greek and has been in Antigua since he sailed here in 1986. His first book, a book of photographs, can be seen as a love letter to Antigua in Images (that’s the title by the way) in the way that it captures life in Antigua and Barbuda. Check the Antiguan and Barbudan Writings page for the full listing of his books (and, of course, all books by Antiguans and Barbudans). His photography and involvement in the yachting culture (including his day job photographing luxury yachts) intersected in what would become his film Vanishing Sail, a documentary about the culture of boat building in Carriacou. That film continues to make the film festival circuit picking up some awards along the way. We’ve captured the ones (awards, that is) we’re aware of on the Antiguans and Barbudans Awarded page. The latest, that I’m aware of is the Donald Gosling Award at the Maritime Media Awards, news of which came in this November 2017 letter (sorry for the delay; if blogging was my job I’d be more on time with these things but I get them out as fast as I can). Here’s the letter:

Dear Friends,

Last night at the Institute of Directors, iconic landmark of London’s Georgian heritage, there was a black tie dinner held in honor of the nominees for the 2017 Maritime Media Awards. This is an annual celebration acknowledging exceptional contributions to the understanding of maritime matters in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Vanishing Sail is the winner the Donald Gosling Award for Best Television or Film!

“An absolutely superb film, with all aspects of it perfectly balanced against each other – very like Exodus herself, as rewarding a maritime documentary as you could hope for.” Rob White Chair, The Maritime Foundation.

We sincerely hope this official honour & recognition will inspire support for our film to be distributed and more importantly, help us develop more boatbuilding projects for the communities of Carriacou!

Next screenings: Dartmouth, Plymouth, Falmouth – tickets: http://www.vanishingsail.com/#screenings

With Thanks & Respect,
Alexis & Justin
The Justin in the signature refers to Alexis’ producing partner Justin Sihera. Congrats to them both.

***

As with all content on Wadadli Pen, except otherwise noted, this is written by Antiguan and Barbudan writer Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Oh Gad!, Musical Youth, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight 10th Anniversary Edition and Other Writings, With Grace, and Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure; also a freelance writer, editor, writing coach and workshop facilitator). All Rights Reserved. If you like the content here follow or recommend the blog, also, check out my page on Amazon, WordPress, and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about Wadadli Pen and my books. Thank you.

 

 

 

Mailbox: Vanishing Sail – UK Premiere – Reconnecting with Scotland

I remember interviewing Alexis Andrews right here in Antigua and Barbuda about his photography, his books, and his passion project, the film Vanishing Sail. Great to see the journey he’s on as he continues to take the now award winning film around the world. This just in:

Dear Friends,

On September 14th the harbour of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis will come alive with a parade of sail to announce our UK Premiere & opening night film at the 3rd Hebrides International Film Festival with further screenings on Barra, Harris and the communities of Berneray and Ness.

We are very excited to premiere our film for the very first time in the UK on Scottish soil as many of the first boatbuilders on the island where Vanishing Sail was filmed, came from Scotland. The Hebrides International Film Festival’s commitment to bringing meaningful international stories to their remote islands resonates deeply with our outreach programme for the film: to engage with sailors, boat builders, coastal communities and maritime heritage around the world.

Thank you to our supporters Rural Nations & Mast Partners for this unique opportunity.
Photo by the flying monk.
With Thanks and Respect,
Alexis & Justin

CARIBBEANTALES ANNOUNCES 2015 WINNERS

The release below comes courtesy the Caribbean Tales International Festival. We have taken the liberty of shouting out Antigua and Barbuda’s win/s by putting it/them in bold. Hint: it’s Alexis Andrews whose film Vanishing Sail we’ve covered here on the site.

The 10th Annual CaribbeanTales International Film Festival announced its award recipients on Saturday September 19, at the closing ceremonies.

This year 16 feature-length and 35 short films in Official Competition, including dramas and documentaries from 25 countries covering all genres and themes, screened over 10 days at the Royal Cinema in Toronto.

The 2015 Incubator Program that took place over 6 weeks, including a 5-day intensive workshop in Toronto, focussed on the development of sustainable long-running series, and featured 10 teams of filmmakers from the Region and Diaspora.

Mariette Monpierre, winner of the Audience and Jury awards at the CTI Big Pitch with Lucie Carette and Julien Lamy of the French Consulate, which sponsored her participation in the event.

In announcing the awards CTFF Executive Director Frances-Anne Solomon said: “CaribbeanTales’ mandate is to build capacity in our region for the creation and distribution of film and television content that reflects the wide diversity of Caribbean stories worldwide. Through our festival and Incubator Program we seek to celebrate strong indigenous high quality content.”

She continued: “It is important for us to recognise and support the filmmakers who achieve this work despite little or no financial or infrastructural support from governments of the region. These intrepid warriors overcome odds, make great sacrifices and rarely earn a living wage from their efforts. We salute their passion, dedication and integrity.”

CaribbeanTales Incubator Program Awards

Supported this year by the REACH Project of the Inter-American Development Bank, Telefilm Canada, the French Consulate in Toronto, and the St Lucia Tourism Board, the CTI Big Pitch took place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 13th.

Audience Award

– French GIrl NYC – Mariette Monpierre

Judges Awards

– 1st Prize:  French Girl, NYC – Mariette Monpierre

– 2nd Prize:  Abiola – Rommel and Karen Hall, Shane Holford

– 3rd Prize:  Black Mariah – Michael Mosca and Francesca Visconti.

Festival Awards:

Under the leadership of Jury Chair Camilo Antonio, the Features Jury comprised actor and blogger Peter Williams, filmmakers Sean Hodgkinson and Faisal Lutchmedial, CTFF Board Chair Anne Marie Stewart and CBC presenter Garvia Bailey.  The Shorts Jury comprised actor and songwriter Nickolai Salcedo, filmmaker Ryan Singh, and film programmer Maor Oz.

Caribbean Spirit Award

For a film that contributes to a deepening understanding of Caribbean culture and life.

– Best Overall Feature Film : Vanishing Sails by Alexis Andrews

– Best Overall Short Film: Paradise Lost by Christopher Laird.

Justin Sihera co-producer of Vanishing Sails, winner of the Caribbean Spirit Award for Best Overall Film, with actor Peter Williams, representing the festival jury, and CTFF Executive Director Frances-Anne Solomon.

 

CaribbeanTales IMPACT Award

For a film that reflects, engages and impacts on issues of contemporary relevance to Caribbean people worldwide.

– The Price of Memory by Karen Mafundikwa

– Runner-Up: Deported by Rachelle Magloire

Jury Awards

– Best Documentary Feature : Mala Mala

– Best Documentary (Honorable Commendation): Art Connect.

– Best Documentary Short : Small Man: the World of my Father – Mariel Brown

– Best Fiction Feature: Pelo Malo

– Best Fiction Short :  One Good Deed – Juliette MacAulay

– Best Actress in a Feature Fiction: Geraldine Chaplin in Sand Dollars

– Outstanding Screen Personality in a Documentary: Lee Scratch Perry in Lee Scratch Perry’s Vision of Paradise.

Best Canadian Film

– Ella Cooper and Brandon Hay for Loving Men.

CaribbeanTales thanks all sponsors, partners, hosts, audiences, and friends for a wonderful festival season.

About

CaribbeanTales is a group of media companies that produces, markets and exhibits Caribbean-themed films for regional and international distribution, including: the  CaribbeanTales International Film Festival that produces an annual festival and events year-round in Toronto, Canada; the Caribbean Incubator Program for Audio Visual Entrepreneurs a training and marketing platform that aims to create strong original world-class content for the international market, and CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, the only dedicated full service film sales company for Caribbean-themed content linking producers and buyers of quality entertainment.

Vanishing Sail Set to Premiere in St. Barths

This just in from Alexis Andrews, director/producer/writer/cinematographer of the film Vanishing Sail:

“We will be premiering our film @ the 20th Anniversary St. Barth Film Festival on April 30th – with the last remaining Sloops & Schooners of the West Indies in attendance on the dock in Gustavia.

The event will be followed by the West Indies Regatta – “Reconnecting the Islands with Traditional Sail”. There will be further screenings at Film Festivals in the USA & Europe during the summer and fall. We shall of course notify you about these a well as eventual distribution and DVD availability.

We are really excited to be bringing this film to the world and we thank you for your interest!”

About the film: Filmed in the Grenadines, Vanishing Sail tells the story of trading by sail in the West Indies, and follows a community of boat builders in Carriacou who struggle to maintain their tenuous grip on a dying skill.

Through a collection of dramatic sailing scenes, rare archival footage and unprecedented interviews with the last old, Caribbean Sea Captains, Vanishing Sail seeks to preserve the legacy of boatbuilding in the Grenadines, introduced by Scottish settlers in the 19th century, and hopes to revive interest in the art form before it expires on the heels of progress.

Blogger’s note: Alexis Andrews has lived in Antigua for a long stretch. He is a photographer. I first met him when I interviewed him about his coffee table book Images Antigua Barbuda.

As with all content (words, images, other) on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight,  Fish Outta Water, Oh Gad! and Burt Award finalist Musical Youth). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page on Amazon, WordPress, and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about WadadliPen and my books. You can also subscribe to and/or follow the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks. And remember while linking and sharing the links, referencing and excerpting, with credit, are okay, lifting whole content (articles,  images, other) from the site without asking is not cool. Respect copyright.