‘Play the Devil’ to open ttff

Making its Trinidad and Tobago premiere, the film which debuted at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June to rave reviews, will also be screened at MovieTowne Port-of- Spain, as part of the festival’s programme of films from September 21 to 27.

Locally produced, Play the Devil tells a universal story of self-denial and dysfunctional power dynamics within individuals, families and the wider society. Feeling the pressure to achieve what no one else in his family has managed to do – excel at high school, win a scholarship to study abroad, become a doctor, rise beyond his humble beginnings and most importantly, make his grandmother proud– there’s pressure building beneath 18-year-old Gregory’s gentle exterior. When he befriends the sophisticated businessman, James (played by local newcomer, Gareth Jenkins), it seems that someone finally understands him and his secret desire to become a photographer.

Though supportive of his artistic passion, James begins to push Gregory’s (Petrice Jones ) boundaries, fuelling a powder keg of emotions. It’s a cat-and-mouse entanglement that will reach its crescendo on Carnival Monday, amidst the frenzied dance macabre of Paramin’s famed blue devil celebrations.

Play the Devil, produced by TT’s Abigail Hadeed and directed by Bahamian native, Maria Govan, showcases sterling performances by the UK-based actor, Jones (Gregory) and local veterans Penelope Spencer (his grandmother) and Che Rodriguez (his father), with breathtaking shots of Paramin as its dramatic backdrop, said a media release.

Govan, a self-taught film-maker worked on sets in Hollywood, before returning home to work on documentaries. In 2004 she moved to New York and began writing her first narrative film, Rain, which premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, screened at ttff/09 and won numerous awards internationally.

An additional screening of Play the Devil will be held at MovieTowne, Invaders Bay, Port-of- Spain on September 25 at 6 pm, with the film-makers present for a Q&A session.

The trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) celebrates films from and about the Caribbean and its diaspora, as well as from world cinema, through an annual festival and year-round screenings. In addition, the ttff seeks to facilitate the growth of Caribbean cinema by offering a wide-ranging industry programme and networking opportunities. The ttff is presented by Flow, given leading sponsorship by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (FilmTT), and supporting sponsorship by RBC and The National Gas Company, the Embassy of the United States of America and the Tourism Development Company (TDC).