The festival kicks off on Friday, June 16 at 7 pm with a Sneak Preview of the comedy TV series “This is Paradise” directed by Kareem Mortimer, Henrietta Edgecombe and Lavado Stubbs. In the series, the lives of two women – one black and one white – are turned upside down when they discover they are half-sisters and co-inheritors of a struggling Bahamian resort hotel.

Following the 30-minute film, Taste of the Caribbean takes place in the courtyard with live Caribbean music by pannist Kadeem Esdelle, and Jamaican Cuisine from Chef Rose, Guyanese Cuisine from the Hibiscus, and Trinidadian fare from Kam’s Roti Shop. At 8:45 pm, the festival presents “Wind Jammers”, a comedy directed by Kareem Mortimer and Richard von Maur in which an American teenage girl moves to the Bahamas with her father and learns to overcome difficult obstacles through the sport of sailing.

On Saturday, June 17 at 7 pm the festival will screen “Cargo”, a drama written, directed and produced by Kareem Mortimer. The winner of four festival awards, the film is a poignant portrayal of a Bahamian fisherman who takes a job smuggling Haitians to Florida in a desperate ploy to support his family.

The festival concludes on Sunday, June 18 with 13 short films that will be shown in two parts as Little Islands, Big Stories Part 1 and Little Islands, Big Stories Part 2. Presented in partnership with the Hairouna Film Festival/St. Vincent & The Grenadines and the Seismic Research Centre’s Changing Landscapes SVG, the films feature the works of local Vincentian filmmakers.  Highlighting the resilience, courage and positive attitude of the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the films depict issues such as conservation, tourism, the effects of a history of colonization, and the ongoing struggles experienced as a result of the volcanic eruption of La Soufriere in 2021 – during a pandemic – where more than 20,000 families had to evacuate.

The Caribbean Film Festival is sponsored by Hairouna Film Festival St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Island Space Caribbean Museum, Oakland Village Square, Seismic Research Centre, and Sunshine 411.

Additional information and tickets at www.fliff.com/caribfilmfest