News Americas, Toronto, ON., April 08, 2024: Acclaimed actress CCH Pounder, celebrated film producer Paul Garnes, along with international media executives, and 26 high-level producers hailing from Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and various Caribbean nations will convene in Barbados from April 15-19 for the inaugural Cross Continental Forum, (CCF).
The CCF, a pioneering initiative led by CaribbeanTales Media Group and Imagine Media International in collaboration with the Faculty of Culture, Creative, and Performing Arts at the UWI Cave Hill Campus, aims to foster collaboration and business development within the global film industry.
The forum will kick off with a screening of Ava DuVernay’s critically-acclaimed film “Origin,” followed by an interactive talk-back session with Garnes at the university’s Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination. Pounder will host the talk-back session, as stated in a media release.
This unprecedented event serves as a dynamic platform for co-producing and cultivating new business opportunities, bringing together industry leaders, producers, and innovators from diverse backgrounds for a collaborative exchange of ideas and possibilities that will lead to innovative co-productions.
Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO at CaribbeanTales Media Group, expressed enthusiasm about the forum, stating, “We are excited to bring together a diverse group of international professionals to facilitate new co-ventures. As film storytellers from the global south, with connections around the world, we have access to incredible untold stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.”
This year’s forum will focus on “Decolonizing the co-production process for the benefit of the Global South,” aiming to foster interactive networking opportunities that result in successful long-term production partnerships.
Lisa Wickham, President & CEO at Imagine Media International Limited, emphasized the potential of the forum to unearth compelling, diverse stories, stating, “We expect the Cross Continental Forum to be a cornucopia of strong, untold, diverse stories.”
The event is supported by the British Film Institute (BFI), the Canada Media Fund (CMF), the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (Fed Dev), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Trinidad and Tobago Film Co. (FilmTT), and Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), offering a unique platform for fostering partnerships and building co-productions between the UK, Canada, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Key highlights of the event include peer-to-peer discussions, real-life case studies, engaging panel discussions, networking opportunities, pitch sessions, and roundtable conversations.
Agnieszka Moody, BFI Head of International Relations, expressed support for the forum, stating, “We are delighted to support the Cross Continental Forum in Barbados. It is a great opportunity for UK-based filmmakers to develop connections with filmmaking talent across the Caribbean region with rich cultural ties to the UK and Canada.”
Through initiatives like the CCF, the global film industry aims to enable diverse, collaborative storytelling that resonates with audiences worldwide.
