A new screening series spotlighting contemporary Caribbean storytelling is set to bring Trinidad and Tobago into focus across independent cinemas in South East England this spring.
Titled Crossroads, the program will run from May 8 to June 18, 2026, featuring a curated selection of films—including five UK premieres—across four venues: BEAM in Hertford, Depot in Lewes, Electric Palace in Hastings, and Towner Cinema in Eastbourne.
Presented by SAVANT Media, a Hastings-based organization whose director also leads the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF), the series is designed to introduce UK audiences to one of the most underrepresented regions in global cinema. Drawing on standout titles from recent editions of TTFF, Crossroads showcases work that is both formally inventive and deeply rooted in Caribbean lived experiences.
At the heart of the program are five films offering a layered portrait of Trinidad and Tobago—its landscapes, communities, folklore, and culture.
Leading the lineup is Queen of Soca (2024), directed by Kevin Adams, which makes its UK premiere. The feature follows Olivia, a young singer from Port of Spain who uses her talent to rise above poverty. When one of her tracks goes viral, she earns a shot at the country’s biggest soca competition. Blending humor, music, and drama, the film explores ambition, identity, and the transformative power of culture.
Also premiering is Possible Landscapes (2025), a 105-minute documentary by Kannan Arunasalam. Spanning sugarcane fields, fishing communities, and fragile coral reefs, the film examines the environmental and social legacies of colonialism and development in the Caribbean. Created in collaboration with academics Tao DuFour and Natalie Melas, it merges documentary storytelling with scholarly insight.
Charlotteville Tails (2025), directed by Elspeth Duncan, shifts the focus to a fishing village in Tobago, where three children—Emily, Kaija, and Zakii—set out to help stray dogs. Their efforts highlight themes of care, community, and human-animal relationships.
The program also includes two short films that reflect the creative range of Trinidad and Tobago’s filmmakers. Smile (2022), a two-minute stop-motion piece by Nigel Williams, uses light and shadow to explore emotional concealment. Meanwhile, Evangeline (2024), directed by Peter De Souza-Samanek, brings Trinidadian folklore to life through wire-bending artistry, following a figurine navigating a forest inhabited by the mythical Douen.
Together, the films span fiction, documentary, and animation, offering audiences a multifaceted view of Caribbean storytelling.
Select screenings will feature post-film discussions led by Tola Dabiri of Electric Piers, along with Q&A sessions moderated by BEAM cinema programmer Patrice Robinson. A family-friendly segment, Big Stories for Little Ones, will present Caribbean short films for children during the half-term holiday.
“At TTFF, we are committed to building the visibility of the film canon of our region, whether here at home or internationally, and Crossroads is part of how we deliver that,” said Mariel Brown, director of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.
Robinson described the initiative as a significant cultural moment for UK audiences. “BEAM is incredibly proud to launch the first edition of Crossroads, a co-produced series with the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival showcasing the Caribbean in all its forms,” she said. “This exciting debut invites audiences to explore bold and rich storytelling from across the region.”
Organizers say Crossroads is intended to become an annual platform for Caribbean cinema in the UK, fostering long-term connections between filmmakers, venues, and audiences.
Full program details and ticket information are available on the participating venues’ websites.
