Rationale

The Bridgetown Film Festival was established in 2005 by the Film Group to give Caribbean films their moment in the spotlight and to give the local, regional and international community a chance to see what is possible with a little imagination and ingenuity.  It is past time for us to see ourselves, and the richness of our culture, on screen through the eyes of the Caribbean director. 

We are nations filled with natural storytellers.  We have produced world-renowned poets, novelists and playwrights.  We tell our stories on every corner and in every meeting place - in rumshops, on the verandah, in the village mini-mart, on street corners, over the telephone, on the playground, in the buses - all day, every day, we paint pictures for others.  It's in our blood.

And with the advent of digital filmmaking, a hugely expensive process has now become more accessible and Caribbean filmmakers are grabbing the opportunity with both hands; quietly making movies, that before the Bridgetown Film Festival, would have only been shown to small groups of friends in "living room" cineplexes.

The Bridgetown Film Festival’s first premise is to showcase Caribbean films but we want to learn from others, outside the Caribbean, who share similar goals and perspectives.  We want to create bonds with our friends and relatives all over the world who make films under similar conditions, with similar values and themes.  This is why the festival space welcomes films from the pan-african diaspora and beyond.

This is a place of inclusion.  This is a place where every film has value by virtue of the effort we know it took to get it made.  This is a place for learning, sharing and growing. 

This is our place and you are welcome.