Georgetown Film Festival gears up to spotlight the region’s stories on an international stage

FILMMAKING in Guyana has seen an influx of new talent into the field, and with new passion comes growth. But this growth is no accident—it is owed to a number of passionate young creatives working both on stage and behind the scenes. One such group is the trio behind the Georgetown Film Festival (GFF). Started three years ago as a non-profit organisation by Akbar Singh, Nickose Layne, and Rae Wiltshire, the team is now working on this year’s film festival. With this year’s festival scheduled for August 7-9, the GFF is putting out a call for submissions from local and Caribbean filmmakers.

Co-founder and Head of Administration and Marketing at GFF, Akbar Singh, spoke with Pepperpot Magazine about the origins of the festival and the behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning this year’s event. As Akbar explained, the GFF began as a non-profit organisation that hosted a series of workshops to introduce newcomers to filmmaking while adhering to international standards.

“The Georgetown Film Festival is a non-profit organisation. We started as a series of workshops funded by a grant from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. The idea was to build capacity for local filmmakers and spark the development of a film industry here in Guyana. We’ve been around for three years. We produce films, we screen films, we distribute films. Our work has been shown in over 25 countries worldwide,” he shared.

Backed by some of Guyana’s most talented young creatives and with support from the Inter-American Development Bank, the GFF has made impressive strides internationally. Highlighting a few major achievements, Akbar stated, “Two of our most noteworthy films are Old Toy Train, which premiered last year at the British High Commissioner’s Residence, and Eating Pawpaw on the Seashore, which premiered in 2022. Both are award-winning films. Eating Pawpaw on the Seashore was screened at the Carnival Festival in Switzerland, which is the biggest and oldest film festival in Europe,” he said. That success helped lay the foundation for what is now the Georgetown Film Festival.

Preparations for this year’s festival are well underway, with more than thirty films from across the Caribbean already entered, and more expected before the June 30 submission deadline.

“We’ve received quite a number of films from Guyana and other regions. So far, we have over 30 submissions. We’ve received films from Dominica, Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, and of course, Guyana. That’s exactly what we’re looking for. This year, the festival is focused on the Caribbean,” Akbar noted.

With this year’s emphasis on Caribbean storytelling, the entries are as diverse as the countries from which they come. From inspired works of fiction to gripping documentaries, regional creatives are showcasing the range and richness of Caribbean experiences.

“For those attending the festival, I can guarantee there will be something for everyone. Documentaries, thrillers, action, comedy—it’s a little bit of everything. And trust me, these are high-quality films,” Akbar said.

Films are not selected solely based on their storyline. A strict vetting process ensures only the best make the final cut. As Akbar explained, “All submissions are vetted by a high-quality panel. Each film goes through a rigorous process. People will be entertained, yes, but they can also expect a high standard. We look at cinematography, acting, colour grading, lighting, directing—technical matters that really elevate a film. All those components are evaluated collectively before we make a decision,” he said.

In addition to film screenings, this year’s festival will also feature masterclasses in various aspects of filmmaking led by both local and international industry experts.

“We’ll be holding masterclasses and workshops in cinematography, lighting, acting, directing, and screenwriting. Experts from Guyana and Suriname will lead the sessions. Tickets for the festival are available on Potsalt,” Akbar added.

These workshops aim to strengthen two of the most pressing gaps in Guyana’s film landscape: cohesion and capacity building. As Akbar noted, while Guyana is bursting with visual storytelling talent and has no shortage of stories to tell, education and coordination are the next steps.

“We lack cohesion. We lack capacity. That’s what we’re working on through the workshops. We’re trying to build an industry here from the ground up. That means teaching people what to do and how to do it, how to film, how to produce, how to tell their own stories, so that they can go out and work independently—even internationally,” he said.

Looking ahead, the goal of the Georgetown Film Festival is to create films that will one day become international cult classics. Akbar shared the larger vision of the GFF:

“Our tagline is ‘Our stories are universal.’ We’re hoping to see 100% Guyanese films, made and produced right here, recognised all over the world. We want people to see that Guyanese films are high quality, full of talent. Guyana has talent. We’re working to build a thriving film industry and to share our stories with the world.”