For various reasons that anyone working in the nascent Barbadian film industry knows painfully well, filmmaking in Barbados isn’t what one would exactly call prolific. This is especially true when it comes to feature length films. That, however, is precisely what makes the release of a new Barbadian film all the more special. Aside from it existing in the first place, that is.
Film distribution here, unfortunately, isn’t that great either. It feels like most local films disappear after very short runs in cinemas. Outside of that, the only other opportunities to see any of them is at film festivals like the Barbados Visual Media Festival and the Barbados Independent Film Festival, or the occasional public screening or school tour.
Luckily for us, we live in the era of streaming. A multitude of streaming services exist and it can be relatively simple – though not necessarily guaranteed in many cases – to get your film on them. Even major streaming services like Amazon. A few Barbadian filmmakers have gone this route.
This isn’t every single Barbadian film that is available online. These are the ones on websites and services with recognisable names and that are viewable in Barbados without a VPN.
Keeping Up With the Joneses: The Movie (2013)
Where to watch: YouTube
Keeping Up With the Joneses: The Movie is a spin-off of the Barbadian sitcom of the same name. It was written, produced, and directed by local filmmaker Rommel Hall. Starring Daniel Best, Rotchell Gibbons, Kayrie Rice-Smith, Izaiah Cornibert, and Erskine Niles, the film sees Anderson Hill – the family matriarch’s mentally ill brother – and three of his friends on a mission to save the family after they’ve been kidnapped.
On March 27th, 2014 it premiered at the Stratford Picturehouse in London, making it the first feature length film from Barbados ever to be screened in an official British cinema. It was also the first Caribbean film to have a cinema premiere in the U.K. in 2014. That year, it was nominated for Best Full Length Film at the Barbados Visual Media Awards and was selected for the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.
While you’re on YouTube, check out our short review of KUWTJ: The Movie.
Next Payday (2015)
Where to watch: YouTube
Next Payday is the sequel to the 2014 film Payday. Written by Shakirah Bourne and directed by Selwyne Browne, it stars Andrew Blackman and Damien Gibson as Romie and Pack. When the two miss the deadline to pay for the site of their car garage business, the property is given to a church.
Romie approaches the pastor about selling it to them, but he will only do so if Romie marries the pregnant Latisha. Pack, on the other hand, decides to infiltrate the church and charm the pastor into selling them the property, but finds himself falling for the choir girl Deborah. Meanwhile, the charismatic and ambitious Brother Martin makes a grab for power in the church. There’s also an illegal poultry ring spurred by the community’s love of chicken wings.
We reviewed this film as well. You can watch the review here.
Vigilante: The Crossing (2015)
Vigilante: The Crossing is an action drama film produced by Step by Step Productions and written and directed by Marcia Weekes. Kirk Brown and Malissa Alanna star as Dexter and Amy, both of whom are trying to save the crime-ridden community, Baker’s Village. Dexter is a Black Barbadian ex-con recently deported from the U.S. and Amy is a white school teacher from an affluent family. As their lives intertwine their mission is threatened by class and racial prejudice.
There were four premieres for Vigilante. The first was its world premiere at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles on February 6th, 2015. This was followed by the New York premiere at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn on February 14th, the Atlanta premiere at the BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta Georgia on March 19th, and the Caribbean premiere at Limegrove Cinemas in Barbados on March 20th.
On May 20th it was screened during the Marché du Film (Film Market) at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. There it was picked up by California Pictures for global distribution. Following its screening at Cannes, it was shown in Birmingham and London in the U.K. It was also screened in Toronto.
In 2017, on March 23rd, it was screened at the CinéMACTe at the Mémorial ACTe museum in Guadeloupe.
Check out our review of this film on YouTube.
Barrow: Freedom Fighter (2016)
Where to watch: Amazon | Vimeo on Demand | Kweli TV
Barrow: Freedom Fighter is the only documentary – or rather “docudrama” – on this list. It was produced by Step by Step Productions, Marietta Carter-Narcisse, and Adrian Holmes and was written and directed by Marcia Weekes. Made in celebration of Barbados’ 50th anniversary of independence, it tells the story of how Errol Walton Barrow, Barbados’ first Prime Minister, led the island to its independence from Britain.
The film blends interviews with reenactments and is narrated by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, whose grandparents are Barbadian. Interviewees include historian Trevor Marshall, cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, Nina Simone’s daughter Lisa Simone, and singer Mary Wilson who was one of the members of the Supremes.
The cast consists of actors who are Barbadian or have Barbadian heritage. Lead by Adrian Holmes – a Welsh-Canadian actor whose parents are Barbadian and is currently playing Uncle Phil in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot series, Bel-Air – in the role of Errol Barrow, the cast includes American actress Lisa Arrindel Anderson as Carolyn Barrow, and American actor Robert Christopher Riley – whose father is Barbadian – as Jean Holder.
The Barbadian cast members include Sean Michael Field as Fred Best and many notable figures familiar to Barbadians like Mac Fingall, Stedson “Red Plastic Bag” Wiltshire, Anderson “Blood” Armstrong, Tony Thompson, Adrian Greene, Ronnie Morris, and Ronnie Clarke.
Barrow: Freedom Fighter is the first feature length film about a notable Caribbean political leader. There were five IndieGogo campaigns launched to raise funds.
It premiered in England on November 4th, 2016 at the Soho Hotel in London, in Barbados on November 26th, 2016 at Limegrove Cinemas, had a U.S. premiere on January 21st, 2017 at George Washington University, and had a New York premiere during the African Diaspora International Film Festival on November 30th, 2017 at Columbia University.
In 2017 it was selected for the BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta Georgia, Docs (as in “documentaries”, not “doctors”) Without Borders Film Festival, and the Barbados Visual Media Festival. It was also screened at Carifesta XIII. The following year, in 2018, it won Best Diaspora Documentary at the African Movie Academy Awards, the Programmers’ Award at the Pan African Film Festival, and was screened in Paris at the African Diaspora Film Festival and in Toronto at the Toronto Black Film Festival.
A Caribbean Dream (2017)
Where to watch: Amazon
A Caribbean Dream is a Barbadian-British co-production. Produced by Melissa Simmonds and Lynette Eastmond, it’s a re-telling of William Shakepeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, adapted and directed by Shakirah Bourne. It’s Barbadian cast includes Jherad “Lord Zenn” Alleyne, Keisha Pope, Sonia Williams, Adrian Green, Simon Alleyne, Angelo Lascelles, and Levi King.
A Caribbean Dream had a preview screening at the Barbados Independent Film Festival on January 14th, 2017 and an invitation-only premiere at Limegrove Cinema on February 28th, 2017. It was also screened in the U.K.
It was selected for the London Independent Film Festival (LIFF), 7th Annual Charlotte Black Film Festival (CBFF), the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and Awards (LAIFF) and the East End Film Festival (EEFF) in 2017. It won Best U.K. Feature at LIFF, Best International Film at CBFF, and Best Produced Screenplay at LAIFF. In 2018 it won Best Drama at the National Film Awards UK.
The film has a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on six reviews. Speaking of reviews, you can read ours here.
Too Lickrish (2019)
Where to watch: Amazon
Written and directed by former Olympian Tolga Ackayli, Too Lickrish is a comedy film starring Seth “Xcel” Bovell and Ryanne McKay as a down-on-their-luck, unemployed, newly married couple desperately in need of money due to an economic crisis in Barbados. Unable to pay their bills and on the verge of losing their furniture and their home, they decide to get the money by scamming criminals. Hijinks – and hilarity – ensue. The film features appearances from Barbadian entertainers Alison Hinds, Trey Breezy, Daba Davisual, Chris “Chris RK” King, and Joaquin Brewster.
It premiered at Olympus Theatres on May 30th, 2019. Later that year it was selected for the New York City International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Best Fiction Film award, making it to the finals.
In 2020 it premiered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines during the Hairouna Film Festival on March 12th and premiered online at the 12°N61°W Film Festival in Grenada on October 30th. It was also selected for the London International Film Festival and for the Nice International Film Festival South of France, where it was nominated for the Best Actress and Best Director awards and won Best Feature Comedy.
You can watch our review of Too Lickrish on our YouTube channel.
