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Banyan's Programme Catalogue |
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DVD copies of Banyan
productions may be ordered from Banyan by email, telephone, fax or regular mail
from $150 US plus shipping. Discounts are available for individual purchasers
for domestic use only.
MICHAEL BOOTHMAN 1979
A half hour documentary on the music of composer, guitarist Michael Boothman.
_
Bele
20 minute
instructional documentary - 1979
Anthropologist Beth Ryan explores the traditions of the belaire dance in the rural village bele feasts of Trinidad, Tobago and Martinique analyses its components and compares the traditional folk form to the staged presentation of this graceful and dignified dance. African traditions in European courtly form.
EPIPHANY
Four part half hour drama series - 1981
A family facing life in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1980s after the death of their mother. the father - played by Wilbert Holder - and eldest daughter - played by Joanne Kilgour - try holding the family together to provide a home for adolescent daughter - Martina Laird - to grow up in and a base for son - Tony Hall - recently returned from graduate studies abroad, to regain his footing and find a place in the society.
In this they are joined by childhood friend and neighbour - Christopher Pinheiro - who in many ways acts as a foil for the family's efforts.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO AT
CARIFESTA
One hour documentary- 1981
Trinidad & Tobago's contribution to the Caribbean Festival of the Arts in Barbados in 1981. Dance, drama, visual arts, literature and music.
THE RIG
90 minute drama - 1983
The Anglophone Caribbean's first 'made for TV movie'. Written and directed by Derek Walcott, The Rig explores the impact of the oil discoveries off the East Coast of Trinidad on the village life of the area and the society of Trinidad & Tobago in general through a story of international intrigue and local fantasy.
The main character, played by Maurice Brash, finds himself in love and in conflict with Mayaro village girl - Joanne Kilgour - and her ' sort of' boyfriend - John Isaacs - when he returns to Mayaro from University.
THE FAMILY OF THE
CARIBBEAN
One hour documentary - 1983
The only work of its kind in the
world. The Family of the Caribbean, for the first time, looks at
Caribbean Culture - music, visual arts, dance, theatre, literature and people
as a whole. Taking CARIFESTA 1981, the Caribbean festival of the Arts
as it's touchstone, the
documentary reveals the many levels of shared experience and expression in the
world's most multicultural region as a new civilisation begins to define
itself.
Written and Narrated by Dr. Michael Gilkes of the University of the West Indies, The Family of the Caribbean is a unique and exciting testament to the Caribbean and its people.
CARIBBEAN VISION
Half hour magazine - 1984
The prototype for the Caribbean
Broadcasting Union's long running Caribscope and for Banyan's Caribbean Eye.
This magazine is the first Caribbean co-production for television where each
segment is introduced by its own presenter in their island linking directly to
their counterparts in the other islands. Features from St. Lucia (geothermal
energy exploration), St. Vincent (the history of the Black Caribs), Dominica
(Mountain Chicken), Montserrat (Sea-island Cotton), Antigua (Calypsonian and
Restaurateur, Short Shirt) and St. Kitts (traditional acrobatic players).
ASTOR JOHNSON: REFLECTIONS
ON THE DANCE
One hour documentary/dance- 1983
A documentary on Trinidad & Tobago's most exciting and original dance company and its choreographer/artistic director, the late Astor Johnson. The programme features seven dance items interspersed with interviews with Astor Johnson and some of his dancers. An exciting and moving tribute to a landmark of Caribbean dance.
GOING FOREIGN
Half hour drama/documentary - 1983
Joanne Kilgour, John Isaacs and Natalie Rogers, three talented performers who have worked with Banyan for many years and have now completed training in New York's Julliard School and New York University, dance, role play, discuss and perform one afternoon/evening expressing what they feel about having to go abroad ("Foreign") to study; what life means and how it changes their perception of home. Throughout it all they examine their careers in Trinidad & Tobago, and their influence on their present and future achievements. Hilarious, touching, serious and, above all, entertaining tribute to youth and to Caribbean talent.
STORYTELLING
Half hour - 1984
A group of actors/musicians visit a school for the handicapped and provide Christmas entertainment through music and stories.
SOCA IN SHE SAMBA
David Rudder in Bahia
One hour documentary - 1987
1986 Calypso monarch, Young King and road march champion, David Rudder, travels to Bahia in Brazil in search of the "Bahia Gyal" the subject of his winning road march. The programme examines African roots and traditions shared by Brazilians, Trinidadians and Tobagonians and most New World people.
MUSICAL EPIDEMIC
Four part half hour series - 1986
Comprised mainly of performance in calypso 'tents' and in 'fetes' at the height of the Carnival season, these programmes look at calypso and calypso music today. Features calypsonians Mighty Sparrow, Gypsy, Brigo, David Rudder, Bally, Singing Sandra, and many more as well as the top calypso bands in the world, Charlie's Roots, Sound Revolution, Byron Lee etc.
Musical epidemic remains the most exciting series on calypso music made to date.
RAMLEELA
Episodes from the Holy Ramayana as enacted by
the villagers of Dow Village, California.
Five part half hour community drama - 1987
This ancient community drama has been played out over the past 116 years in Dow Village in Central Trinidad. Every year before the Divali festival, the beloved characters from the Hindu Holy Ramayana come to life as their story is told with colourful pageantry, drama and humour by and before the villagers of Dow village in a unique display of true community action.
CROSSING OVER
One hour musical documentary - 1988
Trinidadian calypso musician, Lancelot Layne, visits Ghana in Africa, the land of his ancestors, for the first time. Together with Ghanaian highlife musician Koo Nimo, they explore the roots of Highlife.
The rhythms of the people, of Koo Nimo and his musicians, the music, the markets, brass bands and masqueraders set up reverberations for the Trinidadian that reach far back into his New World experience. This segment is directed by Trinidadian Christopher Laird.
When Koo Nimo visits Lance in Trinidad to experience the music of Trinidad and particularly the Calypso, he meets the legendary Lord Kitchener, Grand master of the Calypso, is welcomed by practitioners of the ancient West African Orisha religion, plays with the world's greatest steelpan player and explores the influence of East Indian music on modern Trinidadian music. This segment is directed by Ghanaian Nii Bampoe Ado.
In a unique South-South co-production, Crossing Over begins to bridge a gap of history between Africa and the Caribbean which has never before been explored by television. It was awarded Best Documentary in the National Media Awards for Excellence in Trinidad in 1989 and Best Documentary and Best Environmental Documentary at Images Caraibes, Second Caribbean Film Festival in Martinique in 1990. It has been selected for showing at numerous film festivals including the INPUT festival in Stockholm in 1989, the Tam Tam festival in Rome 1989, the Rienna Festival in Paris 1992.
God
Give Us the Talent - The
hucksters of Dominica
20 minute Documentary - 1989
The Hucksters of Dominica are followed from Dominica to
Guadeloupe as they ply their trade and tell their stories. This film documents
an important economic sector of Caribbean life while attesting to the
creativity, resilience and determination of the region's women.
santimanitay
- A Mas by Minshall
23 minutes Mas'
The work of internationally recognised Carnival Artist, Peter Minshall,
has never been captured in quite as awe-inspiring completeness as this video
version of a full length Mas' performance in the National Stadium of Trinidad
& Tobago on Carnival Monday night in 1989. In this spectacular film can be
seen the roots of Minshall's subsequent triumphs at the opening ceremonies of
the Summer Olympics in Barcelona and Atlanta.
(Produced with Peter Minshall)
GAYELLE
Half hour weekly cultural magazine series -
1985 - 1992.
Over 300 episodes of the most innovative and exciting cultural television. Gayelle has been acclaimed at many international festivals and showings, it has served as a model for the creation of similar productions in the Caribbean, Central America and Canada and is used in television training institutes in the U.S. as an example of how exciting television can be made with simple resources. Without doubt the most exciting series to come out of the Anglophone Caribbean. Gayelle is a nation's complete television programming in half an hour.
CARIBBEAN EYE
13 half hour documentaries on Caribbean
Culture - 1992
Presented by veteran Caribbean broadcaster, Ken Corsbie, Caribbean Eye represents a pioneering effort in regional television. It is the first documentary series about the Caribbean and it is made by the Caribbean. Thirteen areas of regional culture are surveyed from a Caribbean perspective:
Community
Celebrations (other Caribbean festivals)
The Caribbean is a meeting place of all
the world's cultures. Festivals create and sustain a
sense of community. This programme looks at some of the folk festivals of the
region (other than carnivals):_ the Hindu festival of Phagwa in
Trinidad & Guyana; the La Rose & La Marguerite flowers festivals in St.
Lucia; the Johnkunnu of Jamaica, Belize and Bahamas; Masquerade in Guyana and
St. Kitts and the Shi'ite
festival of Hosein in Trinidad & Jamaica.
Indigenous
Survivors
Although the indigenous population of
the region was decimated by the Europeans, many survived. This programme looks
at these survivors from Guyana, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Dominica and Belize, and
examines the movements they are making towards exchange, co-operation and
united action.
Musique
Antillean
French caribbean musical tradition has
heavily influenced the calypso and other folk music in the region. Recently, 'cadance' and 'Zouk' have proven themselves
internationally successful musical forms. This programme is linked in
Martinique and surveys the roots and current forms of this type of music.
Pan
Caribbean
One of the only acoustic musical
instruments invented in the last century is the steelpan of Trinidad &
Tobago. The spread of this instrument in the popular culture of the other
islands of the region has made the instrument almost synonymous with the Caribbean. Pan
Caribbean looks at this phenomenon and the use of the steelpan in the popular,
jazz and classical music of the rest of the world.
Dramatic
Actions
Drama pre-history in folk festivals is
followed through the formal theatre of playwright and entertainer to popular
theatre for social action. Examples from the entire region are used in this
brief but entirely unique survey of Caribbean drama.
Talk and
More Talk
Much of Caribbean culture is oral if
not aural. This programme looks at oral 'literature' and the role of talk in
the region and features many of the Caribbean's best oral performers
and 'composers': Louise Bennett, Paul Keens-Douglas, Edward Brathwaite, Michael
Smith, Mutabaruka, Jeannette Layne-Clarke, Bruce St. John, Dennis 'Sprangalang'
Hall.
Independent
Voices
Five Caribbean writers whose works are
manifestos for Caribbean
independence are featured in this programme: CLR James of Trinidad, Martin
Carter of Guyana, VS Reid of Jamaica, Nicolas Guillen of Cuba, Aime C_saire of
Martinique.
Women in
Action
Women have always been the prime movers
in the 'informal economy' of the region. This
programme looks in at some projects centred on women and work in Dominica,
Jamaica and Guyana. The show is co-hosted by Vincentian Earlene Horne - mother,
farmer and Secretary of the St. Vincent farmers' Union - and follows her
through a busy day.
Caribbean
Carnivals
This programme is linked
from the streets of Trinidad's Carnival and
visits carnivals in all the other Caribbean islands, looking at their unique
forms and examining their shared role which is essentially the liberation of
the spirit.
Visionaries
This production looks at four visual artists who work on a large scale:
intuitive sculptor and painter Philip Moore of Guyana, monumental sculptor Alvin Marriott
of Jamaica and mas' artist Peter Minshall of Trinidad. The programme is
co-hosted by the ground-breaking St. Lucian muralist, Dunstan St. Omer.
Games we
Play
Caribbean children, like children the
world over, grow up singing and playing games which shape the attitudes and expectations
of our roles in later life. This programme looks at these as well as the adult
games of draughts in Barbados, dominoes in Dominica, All Fours in Trinidad, Warri
in Antigua, and of course, cricket. It questions the low involvement of women
in these games and looks at the way this is changing.
Soca -
Soul to Sale
Soca music is the latest version of the
calypso to impact on international markets. This programme traces its history
and the many forms it takes in the region from Ras Shorty I and Charlie's Roots of Trinidad, through
Guyana's Eddie Grant, Antigua's Burning Flames, Montserrat's Arrow and many
others.
Film
Caribbean
Except for Cuba, there
has been very limited film production in the Caribbean. Fortunately, this is
changing, and Film Caribbean looks at some of the factors which influence
regional production, reviewing some of the best of what has been done, and is
being done, and what the future holds for Caribbean film-making. Located at the
Images Caraibes, Caribbean Film
Festival in Martinique,
Film Caribbean interviews film makers from the Dutch, French, Spanish and
English speaking Caribbean and show excerpts from their films. This is the only
video programme available on this subject to date.
The series won the award for Best Series from the Caribbean
Publishers and Broadcasting Association and the Caribbean Broadcasting Union.
It was awarded a special prize by the Caribbean Community for its role in the
Caribbean Integration Movement.
Kali Worship in Trinidad & Tobago
27 minutes
Documentary 1991
Trinidad & Tobago is one of the few places in the New World
where worship of the Hindu Goddess, Kali, is so accessible. Involving the
legendary 'Fire-pass' (walking
over a pit of glowing coals) ceremony, possession rituals and Healing
ceremonies, in this documentary the presenter and the camera become players and
participants as this dramatic and fascinating devotion to one of the most
ancient of deities plays out in the context of one of the most multi-cultural
societies in the world.
LATE NIGHT LIME
Thirteen one hour programmes - 1990
A Caribbean late night talk show featuring two guests, including at least one musician. Each programme also features a six minute monologue by Trinidad's premier stand-up comic/commentator, Dennis 'Sprangalang' Hall. The series is hosted by Tony Hall.
- Holly Betaudier (popular
broadcaster) & Daisy Voisin (Queen of parang music). Dennis Hall on 'Stickfighting in
schools'
- Carlisle Chang (painter) &
Andre Tanker (innovative folk/pop musician). Dennis hall on 'Language and
Computers'
- Boscoe Holder (painter &
dancer) & Geraldine Connor
(musician).
Dennis Hall on 'Code of Ethics'.
- Lennox Pierre (trade union
lawyer & activist) & The Lord Pretender (veteran
calypsonian & master of extemporaneous singing). Dennis Hall on 'Changes in Local
Diet'
- Gordon Rohlehr (authority on
calypso) & David Rudder (innovative young calypsonian). Dennis Hall on 'Have you ever had
one of those days?'
- Fitzroy Coleman (innovative
calypso guitarist) & Clive Zanda (exponent of calypso jazz). Dennis Hall on 'The Confusions of
Life'.
- Lord Kitchener (veteran
calypsonian) & Peter Pitts (calypso commentator and performer).
Dennis Hall on 'Confusion in Food
Names'.
- Byron Lee (band leader
& impresario) & Ras Shorty I (calypsonian and originator of
Soca music). Dennis Hall on
'Upholding the Law'.
- Merle Hodge (novelist &
feminist) & Drupatie
Ramgooni calypso/chutney singer). Dennis Hall on 'Confusing
Directions'.
- Hans Hanoomansingh (broadcaster
& cultural activist) & Narsaloo Ramaya (musician). Dennis Hall on 'Taxi Drivers'.
- Pat Bishop (musician &
painter) & Ray Holman (steelpan composer and soloist). Dennis Hall on 'Women's Day'.
- Andrew Bedeau (master
drummer) & Jah Jah Oga
Onilu (young master drummer). Dennis Hall on 'The cycle of Nature and The Three
Booms'.
- Peter Minshall (carnival/mas'
artist) & Theresa Montano ( old mas'
player). Dennis Hall on
'Parenting'.
- The Roaring Lion (One of the
greatest Calypsonians of the 20th century)
THE DISH RAN AWAY WITH THE
SPOON
One hour - 1992
Produced as part of the BBC/TVE
Developing World series, Dish is a lively and entertaining sweep through
the Caribbean
looking at the effect of US television programming on local culture. Hosted by
Gayelle hosts, Tony Hall and Errol Sitahal, Dish visits St. Lucia, Cuba and Miami. Winner of Best Video Documentary
and Best Film on the Environment at Images Caraibes_ Third Caribbean Film festival 1992 and Best Public Affairs
Documentary at Prized Pieces, 13th Annual International Video and Film
Festival of the National Black Programmers Consortium, Maryland, USA 1993
Sargasso
40 minute drama - 1994
Highlights of Jean Rhys's classic novel Wide
Sargasso Sea _dramatised with a
preface about the writer's life and work. Written and directed by Dr. Michael
Gilkes. At last a Caribbean treatment of this important novel.
(Produced for The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill)
Caribbean
Women Writers
46 minutes Documentary
Centred around the First Conference of Caribbean Women
Writers held in Wellesley College, Boston, this entertaining and thought
provoking programme looks at the most exciting development in Caribbean
literature since the fifties, women writers. Featuring readings and discussion
by the major figures of Caribbean literature by women, it is the only
television document of its kind in the world.
(Produced for Wellesley College, Boston)
ONE CARIBBEAN
The first assembly of Caribbean peoples
24 minutes - 1995
A spirited and inspiring documentary covering the first assembly of Caribbean peoples in Trinidad in 1994. Features contemporary and traditional Caribbean music from the cultural evening held during the Assembly. Signals the beginnings of the movement for Civil Society in the region.
SMELL THE EARTH-TASTE THE
WATER
Towards the Development of a National
Conservation Strategy
24 minutes - 1995
A documentary which looks at two very different fishing communities in Trinidad and examines, through popular drama their ecological problems and their solutions.
Open A Door - CARNIVAL
Five minute drama for children - 1995
Music, disguise, strangers who become friends. A young boy opens his front door dressed as a pirate and launches into an adventure. No dialogue, just music and effects.
THE MUSIC OF THE STREET
10 minute drama/storytelling for children -
1995
A young boy growing up with his father away at sea finds his talent and fascination for music gets him into trouble in the multicultural environment of St. James, Port of Spain, Trinidad. An adventure in many cultures and traditions.
WALK LIKE A DRAGON
15 minute drama - 1997
Talented young pannist Smallman finds himself in jail on a murder charge. Pan pioneer, Mannie, visits him to try to help him. A pilot for a feature film set around the history of the steelband, Walk Like A Dragon is an intriguing drama replete with extraordinary images and useful to stimulate discussion on the history of the national instrument of Trinidad & Tobago
ATIBA WILLIAMS - Pan
Prodigy
7 minute docudrama 2000
9 year old Atiba Williams is the youngest person ever to arrange for a
steelband at_ the premier steelband competition, Panorama. This film looks at a
day in his life, from home to school to rehearsal to performance. Also available with French subtitles
bigRiver 1999
One hour documentary
- 2000
22 International visual artists
come together for a two week workshop in the fishing village of Grande
Riviere, Trinidad & Tobago on a beach where hundreds of the largest turtles
in the world come to nest every night. The interaction between the artists, the
community and the environment results in the creation of amazing installations
and stimulating work which has left an indelible mark both on the community and
the artists themselves. An fascinating and provoking document told by the
participants themselves.
36 minute documentary
- 2001
Legendary Ghanaian High Life
guitarist, Koo Nimo (Daniel Amponsah) speaks to Christopher Laird about his
life and music intercut with numerous performances of his songs (with English
subtitles) at various venues in Ghana as well as a musical meeting with the
late, great Lord Kitchener, 'Grandmaster' of calypso, and jamming with
Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe, perhaps
the world's greatest steelpan virtuoso.
EYE TO
EYE – Ways of Seeing
26 part Television
series 2010 – one hour
Produced with Gayelle: The
Channel, Eye to Eye is a series of one on one conversations with people who
work out of a strong sense of being Caribbean and what that means. The host is
producer, Christopher Laird and among the guests are:
Pat
Bishop
Rubadiri
Victor
Rawle
Gibbons
Frances-Anne
Solomon
Raviji
Kim
Johnson
Pat
Mohammed
Tony
Hall
Raymond
Ramcharitar
Sunity
Maharaj
Marc
Matthews
Christopher
Cozier
Paul
Keens-Douglas
Mungal
Patasar
Brother Resistance (Lutalo Masimba)
Ray
Funk
Burton
Sankerali
Lester
Efebo Wilkinson
Wendell
Manwarren
Georgia
Popplewell
Tribute
to Samantha Pierre
David
Abdulah
Dennis
Hall
Kumar
Mahabir
Attilah
Springer & Muhammad Muwakil
Errol
Fabien
PREVIEWS of these can be seen at: 
Christopher Laird talks to and profiles filmmakers in
Trinidad & Tobago and the region and shows extracts of their films and whole
short films. This series of 27 programmes gives
exposure to the growing number of young filmmakers graduating from our film
schools as well as established filmmakers who are making a name for Caribbean
Film internationally.
PREVIEWS and
description of contents can be seen at: 
PUBLIC SPACES
16 minute documentary 2012 HD
This 16
minute documentary was produced on the occasion of the PUBLIC SPACES exhibition
of the the work of architect Colin laird which was held at the National Museum
of Trinidad & Tobago from June 2012 to January 2013 to coincide with
celebrations of Trinidad and TobagoÕs 50th anniversary of
Independence. As part of the countryÕs social, economic, cultural and physical
evolution, architect Colin Laird, through his prolific production and dedication to
civic projects was at the vanguard of the movement that worked to express in architecture,
the spirit of the emerging Trinidad and Tobago - literally building the
nation. Also available with French subtitles
NO BOIS MAN NO FRAID
78 minute
documentary 2013 HD
The Kalinda dance
was brought to the Caribbean slave plantations from the Kongo
and Angola. In Trinidad the Kalinda accompanied a
development of the African warrior game of stick fighting and is practiced in
arenas called ÒGayellesÓ.
Two young Trinidadian
martial artists re-discover their roots in this
unique Trinidadian martial art and are accepted for mentorship by living
legends of the art.
Follow
Keegan and Benji as with humility, respect and the
total commitment of the martial artist they enter the potentially lethal arena
of the Gayelle which to them is like a ring of
liberation, Òwhere I am a human being and I deserve to be alive and anybody
in this circle I respect because they understand the value of life.Ó
Also available with French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.
A DOCUMENTARY
65 minute
documentary 2012 HD
The publication of this documentary on The
CaribbeanÕs premiere water colourist and artist
coincides with a massive retrospective exhibition of Donald ÔJackieÕ HinksonÕs work over five decades. The exhibition, runs in
four venues and also accompanies the publication of his autobiography, What Things Are True.
PLUS
WATER COLOUR 16 minutes
The film follows Hinkson as he paints a water colour, plein air, from blank
page to finished painting, explaining all his decisions and process.
AND
SCULPTURE 16 minutes
Hinkson works
on a number of sculptures simultaneously while describing his techniques and
the reasons for his creative decisions
PARADISE LOST
35 minute
documentary 2015 HD
In 1975 Stephen Lee Heung, veteran producer of
masquerade bands for the Trinidad Carnival, invited Peter Minshall,
who was working as a theatre designer in London, to design his presentation for
the 1976 Trinidad Carnival.
The result was a milestone in Trinidad Carnival design
and the emergence of a new master artist of the Mas.
The resulting band, PARADISE LOST, won Band of the
Year. Its King, The Serpent in the Garden of Eden, won King of Carnival
and the individual costumes won every prize in their category.
In this film Peter Minshall
tells the story of the design and construction of this landmark band and his
reaction to seeing the remastered version of the only
known motion picture recording of PARADISE LOST on stage filmed by veteran
cinematographer, George Tang.
Prior to PARADISE LOST, costumed bands were designed
for historic
pageantry and ornamental display. With PARADISE LOST
mas was enlivened both in spirit and in form. It was a kinetic revolution.
ÒIt is doubtful that the work of any
single individual has had so instantaneous and so searing an impact on the
consciousness of an entire country,Ó
Roy Boyke on Minshall
and Paradise Lost 1976
Added features on this DVD include interviews with:
Cinematographer, and masman,
George Tang,
Peter Samuel on playing King for Minshall
Masmakers: Pascal Ramkissoon
(3.22 minutes), Kendal DePeiza (13minutes) and Larry
Richardson (9 minutes)
MUSIC VIDEOS
Banyan has a large collection of Music Videos from Trinidad & Tobago including a comprehensive collection of the videos of David Rudder.
OTHER BANYAN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE
WHO THE C.A.P. FITS...
13 half-hour episode drama serial - 1977
The stories of four families interweave in this 'soap-opera'
style series which explores Caribbean family life situations and problems.
(Produced for the Family Planning Association of Trinidad & Tobago with the
assistance of the International Planned Parenthood Federation)
MORRAL
12_ half-hour episode drama series -
1979
Twelve stories of a family demonstrate the Rights of the
Child as laid down by the United Nations.
(Produced for the Ministry of Community development of Trinidad & Tobago)
THROW AWAY THE PACK
30 minute drama - 1978
A satirical look at the forces behind the an attempt by the
tobacco industry to lure young people into smoking.
(Produced for the Trinidad & Tobago Cancer Society)
A FLORAL FANTASY
Half Hour Documentary -_ 1992
A colourful and sensuous look at the growing and use of
Heliconias in Trinidad & Tobago
(Produced for Magnolia Productions, UK)
Village to best Village
One Hour Documentary_ - 1980
Prize winning documentary on the Prime Minister's best
Village Trophy Competition which follows three villages on their stirring and hard
fought journey from the their village to the grand finals at the Queen's Park
savannah.
(Produced for the Ministry of Community Development - Trinidad & Tobago)
FootprintS
10 five minute features - 1992
Ten of the Caribbean's leading cultural figures are featured in these
vignettes:
Beryl McBurnie - Choreographer, Trinidad
Phillip Moore - Visual Artist - Guyana
Felix De Rooy - Film Director - Curacao
Derek Walcott - Poet - St. Lucia
Arrow - Soca Artist - Montserrat
Aime Cesaire - Poet - Martinique
Ophelia - Singer - Dominica
Nicholas Guillen - Poet, Cuba
George Lamming - Novelist, Barbados
hurricane construction
programme
21 Minutes, Public Information - 1993
An entertaining and informative treatment of a vital subject
- the construction of housing resistant to hurricanes.
getting back on your
feet
12 Minutes, Public Information - 1993
Survival and rebuilding after a Hurricane
Fight cancer, don't
fear it
15 minute Documentary - 1982
Four people with Cancer talk of their experiences and tell
how they have fought the dreaded. Inspiring and moving.
breast self
examination - A
healthy Habit
9 minutes, Public Information - 1982
A practical guide to Breast Self Examination.
Prelude to Finale
Half Hour Documentary - 1988
Three women arrangers are followed as they rehearse and put
their steelbands through their paces for the biennial Pan is Beautiful
festival. One of them is in winners row but for all of them it is a triumph for
women and for the steelband.
(Produced for JEL Productions)
Cavalleria Rusticana
67 minute_ Opera - 1982
A full length Opera lushly presented and performed.
(Produced for the Opera Society of Trinidad & Tobago)
triumphs
Five_ five minute vignettes of Women in
the Caribbean - 1992
dwight, world class,
naturally good
Half Hour documentary - 1992
This programme looks at the Tobagonian footballer, Dwight York
after his first year with Aston Villa. Shot in England and in Tobago it
portrays a Caribbean sportsman of international quality who went on to lead his
team to its first FA Cup with a record number of goals scored.
(Produced with the Caribbean Development Company)
Surviving Rape
1 Hour Public Information - 1988
An intense public discussion of the issues surrounding rape,
illustrated_ with drama.
(Produced for Rape Crisis Centre of Trinidad & Tobago)
ENTRY DENIED
21 Minutes 1997
A young Jamaican footballer, from the 'ghetto' areas of Kingston, is refused a
visa to take up a scholarship at a university in the US. Dramatic events and coincidences
conspire to take the story to an alternate conclusion.
Directed by Christopher Browne and produced by Banyan.
LIVE AND LET LIVE
25 Minutes 2003
A lively and touching documentary on a verse and song
contest in Trinidad
and Tobago schools to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS.
Made by Banyan for the Embassy of the United States of
America.
CONCERT IN THE
RAINFORST
25 Minutes 2002
In November 2000, British explorer, John Blashford Snell, wishing to fulfill the desire of the Waiwai people for a keyboard instrument, transported a
grand piano to their village deep in the rainforest of Guyana. Since then, the piano has
remained largely unused in a corner of the village church.
In May 2002, Guyanese filmmaker and cultural activist,
Michael Gilkes, led a team including Guyanese
international concert pianist, Ray Luck, piano technician, Remington Ally, and
the Banyan crew to join the Waiwai in a concert of
song and music.
With an engaging style that reflects
the quiet observant reserve of the Waiwai, CONCERT IN
THE RAINFOREST documents this opportunity grasped by fellow Guyanese to
rehabilitate the instrument and integrate it more usefully into the musical
life of the Waiwai.
ARCHIVE FOOTAGE
Banyan has the most extensive cultural video archive in the southern Caribbean.
Extensive material exists in Dance, Drama, Music, Poetry, Visual Arts, Festivals and exhaustive interviews with Caribbean luminaries such as C.L.R. James, Derek Walcott, Slade Hopkinson, Lord Melody, Fitzroy Coleman, Pat Castagne, Ken Morris, Dionne Brand, Marc Matthews, Errol Jones, Carlisle Chang, James Boodhoo, Sterling Betancourt, Colin Laird, Boscoe Holder, Ken Corsbie, Henry Muttoo and many others.
A searchable database of the Archive is available from Banyan.
Banyan Limited, 3 Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, The Caribbean
Voice: (868) 681 0175Fax: (868) 622 4601 E-mail: banyan@pancaribbean.com