Leonardo ‘Leo’ Lightbourne, MILLS Institute and Andy ‘Young Blacks’ Missick bested the inaugural Another Day In Paradise (ADIP) Film Festival held at the Ports of Call Plaza on Sunday, July 31.
Lightbourne, a local content provider and community activist, snared two of the three-category event. Young Blacks walked away with the remaining category, while MILLS Institute was declared the overall winner.
The three categories were: Best Storytelling, Views from the TCI and Best Music Video. Lightbourne’s entry – ‘My UK Trip’, outlasted MILLS Institute’s two entries - ‘John Kaya in my House’ and ‘Church Then and Now’, to take the Best Storytelling category.
Lightbourne’s ‘Bourne to Lead’ radio show was the solitary entry in the Views from the TCI category, so too was Young Black’s entry in the Best Music Video Category.
Lightbourne was ecstatic at receiving the two awards. He told the audience that it was a joy for him to be able to create content good enough to land him national recognition.
For his part, Misick stated that winning the award left him speechless even though he has regarded himself as someone very verbose.
Mrs. Bobb, the MILLS Institute Teacher, who was on hand, along with one of her students, said Mills was big on preserving the TCI Culture.
“John Kaya is a term used to determine famine, starvation, and so, the kids are familiar with that phrase,” Bobb told NewslineTCI.
“In our curriculum we actually look at colloquial terms, and we even try to incorporate (them) into the different subject areas. So, it might be Math- we find something that is applicable; it might be grammar – we also find something that is applicable.
“So, we are trying to keep the culture of the TCI alive, and so, (John Kaya) is one of the terminologies that they are associated with.”
Benson Williams, the man behind the event, was elated that he was able to pull-off the event with little glitches, promising that next year should be even better.
“It is only the first year. Hopefully, next year it would get bigger and better. There was a few technical difficulties and other little challenges, but I think we just about overcame them to put on the show, so, I am satisfied. And I think that most importantly, everyone got to see what we are trying to do and to get a glimpse of the vision that we are trying to create and to bring to the TCI,” Williams told NewslineTCI.
The youthful Williams noted that he would not rule out adding more categories to the event next year but indicated that it would base on the creativity of the entrants.
“If I could be convinced that another category exists that doesn’t already in the three already there, then we might have a fourth category,” Williams said.
HIGH MARKS FROM GOVERNOR, MINISTER AKIERRA MISSICK
The event came in for high marks from His Excellency Governor Nigel Dakin and Minister for Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development Hon. Akierra Missick, who were in attendance.
“I am so excited to take part in Another Day In Paradise Film Festival,” said a bubbly Misick in response to questions from NewslineTCI. “It is the first (film festival) that is locally owned and locally produced, and the list of sponsors as well are persons who are in the Turks and Caicos Islands and want to see the Turks and Caicos Islands develop.”
She said Williams was to be commended for opening such an avenue for locals to showcase their movie and music production talent.
“I tip my hat to Mr. Williams for bringing this together. I said to the governor and his wife, I am going to make sure that the right ministry is aware of what is happening, and I thank my ministry colleague of Tourism and Culture…they were one of the sponsors, but we need to pour more energy and time and effort into promoting this and really make it grow from strength to strength,” she said further.
Minister Missick added: “So, for the first one, I was amazed. I really enjoyed it, but I am looking forward to next year already. I think the entries were good, and I think with the right sort of promo leading up to it, they would find themselves with a lot more entry and would really get a chance to give the judges a lot of work to do.”
To the founder of the event, Missick said: “Mr. Williams, continue to reach for the starts. You have brought another element of what a young Turks and Caicos Islander, who has the dream and goal, can achieve, and thank God for the support system he has. The road will be bumpy, but you will be victorious, and I lend all my support behind it.”
For his part, Governor Dakin was thrilled in his review of the event.
“I knew before I came here that TCIs got enormous talent, and this just confirmed it,” Governor Dakin said, noting that he had no doubt that going forward the event would garner much more success.
“What an amazing mission, if you like, to just launch this, and as Benson say, ‘let’s just do this’, and he did it. He’s got it going, and I am sure it is now going to be successful going into the future, and I am sure it did inspire an awful lot of people now to contribute. It was wonderful, and really enjoyable evening,” he said.