Since Commonwealth Shorts began – we have held both Conversations and Workshops.
“This is something – to see ourselves reflected. Even with a short film we get to introduce something about our country to people who may never have given the Bahamas a second thought other than as a place where you can have a rum drink on a beach.”
Kareem Mortimer
“For me, it’s just to get a conversation started.”
Wanjiru Kairu
“Everyone in my crew doubled up. So when I wasn’t directing, I was shooting stills or combing hair. The producer was making tea and running for the food…we had to go to an insurance company and they kind of stitched together three different policies. But they were baffled that we were making a film and insuring the production. Everybody was baffled.”
Lisa Harewood
“When I was given this opportunity to make this film I just thought of a lot of elements from my childhood that I wanted to put together, I wanted to see on a big screen – like stealing milk money; how the arcade game was the centre of the universe; the kind of alliance between these hood kids; the stressed out mother of a big family giving her boy a hiding for being too shamed; this kid having a crush on Mr Lee’s daughter’. I just kind of threw it all together. And also 1981 was the year Bob Marley died.”
Oscar Kightley
“It’s almost like we know each other already, which really speaks to the importance of sharing our stories and the diversity of our stories.”
Jules Koostachin
“In order to be a successful screenwriter you need a community of other writers to support you with the critical feedback necessary to make your best work.”
Kareem Mortimer
