CARIBBEAN RETROSPECTIVE: “How the First West Indian Movie was made ”
Presented by Dir. Mickey Nivelli aka Harbans Kumar

Rotunda, Bliss Center for Performing Arts
Tuesday, Feb. 22 (10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.)

41 years ago Harbance Kumar, a youth from India landed in Trinidad and married a Trinidad girl Chand Kumar. Before coming to Trinidad he had worked in various film production sectors in BOMBAY, INDIA now known as the  BOLLYWOOD of India. While in Trinidad he became one of the biggest film distributors in the West Indies but without a single creative outlet of movie making in the entire West Indies, he felt like a fish out of water. But he had a business to run in the West Indies and a marriage to uphold so he could not return to BOLLYWOOD to quench this thirst.

Bringing BOLLYWOOD to the West Indies was a very difficult task that no one, even with millions of dollars in resources, had the guts to do. Harbance Kumar had less money but more guts. He mortgaged his house, cars etc. to raise some money. He could not afford to hire a director, so he decided to direct the film himself. He could not afford to hire foreign trained actors and actresses, so he had to make do with locals who had never ever even seen a movie camera. Through trial and error, mistakes and corrective measures, the first ever West Indian feature film, "The Right and The Wrong ", came into being.

Harbance`Kumar went on to make more movies. His “ Girl from India” & "Man from Africa", were even more successful and Harbance Kumar began being hailed as the pioneer movie- maker of the West Indies and the one with the best track record. So why did he suddenly change his name and become MICKEY NIVELLI?      His book recently published book "Echoes of Love from Heavens Above" answers this question.

This presentation will be Immediately followed by Screening of the First West Indian Movie ever made, THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG (Trinidad & Tobago, 1969)

FILMMAKERS ROUNDTABLE: “Distributing Independent Films”

Panelists:
Manu Savani (Distributor)
Mickey Nivelli (Director)
Rohit Jagessar (Writer / Director, Distributor)

Venue: Rotunda, Bliss Center for the Performing Arts
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 23
10:00 a.m. – 12 noon

Visiting International Filmmakers share their experiences in the independent film distribution business.

FILM SCHOOLS: “Escuela Internacional de Cine y Television”
Presented by Estrella Hendrickson, EICTV

Rotunda, Bliss Center for Performing Arts
Date: Thursday, Feb. 24 th
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

A presentation of the acclaimed International Film and TV School of San Antonio de Los Banos and its interest in supporting filmmakers from the Caribbean and Central America receive training and exposure in filmmaking.

This presentation will be immediately followed by a screening of EICTV Student Films .

“Film in Central America & the possibilities of CINERGIA”
Presented by Maria Lourdes Cortes, Dir. Of CINERGIA

Rotunda, Bliss Center of Performing Arts
Saturday, Feb. 26 th
10:00 a.m. – 11 a.m.

The director will explain it’s purpose, objectives, goals and how it can support Belizean filmmakers looking for financial support for their projects.

“A History of Nicaraguan Cinema”
Presented by Rossana Lacayo & Jose Luis Herguedas Piernas, Members of ANCI: Nicaraguan Association of Cinematography

Rotunda, Bliss Center of Performing Arts
Monday, Feb. 26 th
10:00 a.m. – 11 a.m.

A presentation of the circumstances that led to the rise and fall and subsequent rebirth of Nicaraguan cinema. Examples of Nicaraguan films will be screened during this presentation.