H.E. Eldred Bethel, High Commissioner, hosted a private Screening of ‘Passage’ a short film by Bahamian writer/director Kareem Mortimer at Bahamas House in London on Wednesday March 12, 2014.
Bahamian nationals, friends of The Bahamas and representatives from the London Diplomatic Community, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Foundation attended the screening which was followed by a Q&A with the writer/director and a reception hosted by the High Commissioner.
High Commissioner Bethel welcomed guests to the 'Nassau Theatre' in London and offered congratulations to Kareem and encouraged him and all the other young Bahamian film makers to continue to tell the stories of The Bahamas. “Tonight I want to paraphrase the words of St Paul, if one Bahamian suffers, all suffer together; if one Bahamian is honoured, all rejoice together. And so tonight we rejoice with Kareem,” stated High Commissioner Bethel..
‘Passage’ was one of five short films commissioned by Commonwealth Writers which premiered at the Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival in Bristol, UK in September 2013. The films, four dramas and one documentary are the culmination of the Commonwealth Shorts scheme to develop the craft of emerging film makers. The films focus on the themes of relationships and explore migration, indigenous rights, barrel children, and same-sex relationships. The film makers, from The Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Kenya and New Zealand, have created work highlighting issues that affect them and their communities and will find striking parallels worldwide. Their films are produced in partnership with B3 Media and The Commonwealth Broadcasting Association/Worldview.
'Passage' Synopsis
A twenty-year-old Haitian woman, Sandrine and her thirteen year old brother Etienne are being transported from Haiti to the Bahamas in the hold of a dilapidated wooden vessel filled with several other immigrants in search of a better life. When her brother takes ill, she must use her smarts and strength to prevent him from being thrown overboard and save his life.
Writer/Director Kareem Mortimer
Kareem is a Bahamian filmmaker from the island of Nassau. Over the past five years he has won more than 25 awards for his previous three film projects. Kareem has made short music documentaries for the syndicated show Hip Hop Nation: Notes from the Underground, and has written and directed the short film 'Float' that has won 5 festival awards and distribution in North America, Germany and Austria. 'Float' received a US Broadcast premiere on LOGO. Moving Pictures Magazine crowned 'Float' as one of five short films to look out for and Kareem a writer/director to watch. Subsequently, he has directed the documentary 'I Am Not A Dummy' and a debut feature film 'Children Of God'. 'Children of God' has won 18 awards, distributed in 24 territories, a theatrical release in the US and is currently airing on SHOWTIME. 'Children of God' was also named by BET as one of the top ten movies of the year and one of the top features to watch by The Independent Magazine.
Bahamian Filmmaker in London
As part of the celebration around Commonwealth Week Commonwealth Shorts had its first screening in London at the Soho Hotel on Tuesday 11 March. The Commonwealth Shorts project enabled five emerging film-makers from The Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Kenya and New Zealand to produce films on the theme of relationships. The film screening was followed by a conversation between all the film-makers, including Bahamian Writer/Director Kareem Mortimer who short film Passage was screened at the event. Guests at this private screening included High Commissioner Eldred Bethel, Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sally-Ann Wilson, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association; and Sir Anand Satyanand, former Governor-General of New Zealand and current Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation.
