“My entry into the world of film came at a young age when my mother began to film environmental documentaries,” Aurora says of her first exposure to the industry she now calls home. “This was a wonderful experience: seeing our country’s caves, waterfalls, flora and fauna captured on film.” At the age of 14, she was offered the opportunity to write a column for a leading local news publication, and interned at Gayelle The Channel as a co-host for one of their television shows at 17.

She was accepted into the Journalism Specialist Programme at the University of Toronto and studied, lived, and worked in Canada for five years before returning home and partnering with her mother to launch an environmental television show, Showcase Environment.

It was this varied background and experiences that fostered Aurora’s passion for media. “I truly believe that it is the best platform to effect positive and sustainable change in the world,” she says. “For me, utilising media means fiction and non-fiction storytelling through film and television and also the practice of journalism.” Upon returning to Trinidad in 2011, her sights were set on work as a journalist. Yet, small coincidences seemed to gently steer her in a different direction. Firstly, she was offered work on the set of Caribbean’s Next Top Model where she was introduced to Danielle Dieffenthaller, a woman she respected since the TT classic Westwood Park was on air. Soon, she would meet other colleagues who she grew to admire: she worked with Robert Dumas as a researcher for his film Red White and Black: A Sports Odyssey, and eventually interviewed with the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), becoming the official blogger for the festival – a position she filled for the past three festivals.

It was at a festival event that she met filmmaker Sean Hodgkinson. “He told me he needed a first assistant director for his film, Trafficked. I had never done that job before but it spoke to my skill set. That was my conception into the Quirky Films family, which I am proud to still be a part of today,” she shares of her first active role in film production.

She has worked on the projects of fellow filmmakers such as Salty Dog (2017), which makes its national premiere at this year’s ttff, The Warehouse (2016), Bazodee (2016), as well as other commercial work. She also produced The Weekend (2017), another Quirky production that is nominated for People’s Choice Award at this year’s festival.

“A producer is essentially responsible for co-ordinating the filmmaking process from beginning to end, developing the project with the director and other team members, finding funding, and running the production from casting to post-production,” she explains of the role she has now taken onset. “A producer makes sure that everyone does their assigned task on time and within budget.” However, she points out that in our local film industry, one person may wear many hats; directors may produce, producers may manage audio, actors edit, editors write, and writers create musical scores. She believes this diversity in roles is part of the magic that has birthed our local industry. “However, I don’t feel that is a fair or sustainable practice. Each person should have the opportunity to be paid for their particular role and also feel supported by all others fulfilling their own roles.” Of her producer credit on The Weekend, she describes the experience as intense and wonderful. “It was wonderful because so many people came together to give of their time and talent to the project,” she says, revealing that 42 pages of script was shot in three and a half days, as the cast and crew worked 20-hour days during filming. “I once described The Weekend as a passion project that took so much and gave so much. [Director] Sean has a very special ability to tell stories with dark undertones in a funny way; in many ways, this type of storytelling embodies our distinctive Trinbagonian culture and when I work with Quirky, I feel like I play a direct part in translating the nuances of our national identity on the screen.” She also worked as co-producer on Salty Dog, working alongside director Oliver Milne and producer Lesley-Anne Macfarlane, who she says has been one of her mentors and inspirations as a multi-talented woman trailblazer in the industry.

Of her work on the film, she says, “I scouted locations, set up casting sessions, and worked onset during initial weeks of filming.” Salty Dog is nominated for best TT short at this year’s film festival and Aurora holds pride in being a part of its coming-to-life.

While Aurora does not believe in “gender essentialism”, she does note that there are roles within the film industry that are not equally represented across genders. “I would definitely love to see all of these roles benefitting from equal representation,” she says, attributing directing roles to a mostly male demographic, while producers, script-writers, and costume designers tend to skew to a female average.

She has been privileged to work on balanced and diverse sets, where the gender imbalance isn’t glaring. However, outside of sets and in the arena of finance, she feels that women are less successful in securing funding for film projects than their male counterparts. “I think this speaks to our gender biases in society and needs to change.” As for the contribution of the ttff, she praises the organisation for effectively creating platforms for filmmaking on our shores that has consistently grown the industry. “They have provided workshops for filmmakers and producers, carefully opened up the market for Caribbean films, and painstakingly built regional and international relationships with investors and filmmakers,” she praises, adding that the festival has intelligently programmed the festival to examine pertinent societal issues. “The ttff has moved our country forward.” Yet, she notes that the availability of such progressive cinema that highlights our stories and societal contexts outside of the festival remains elusive, as opposed to cheaper and more accessible options such as cable television and Hollywood movies. “Hardworking creatives toil for months to years working on a project with very little revenue,” she says, pointing out that the channels for proper remuneration or constant funding to tell our own stories are limited at best.

“I fully acknowledge that our television stations need favourable economics to run. However, I feel that it is past time to negotiate terms between local content producers and television stations. We have the content. Now we need the platforms.

“The stakeholders of nation building have outlined the desire to ‘see ourselves on television’. However, how can these stakeholders expect the very people asked to work creatively to survive within substandard conditions?” She believes this situation can be changed if proper negotiated standardised contracts are instated, providing sustainable living and job security for creatives. As it stands, many cast and crewmembers currently create and contribute to projects solely out of passion, with no financial impetus.

“As human beings who are called to create, our work carries a very deep meaning,” says Aurora of the offerings the people in our local film industry bring. “Often, these cultural meanings have a hand in defining and redefining personal and national identities. This is a huge impact.” Even against such financial obstacles, Aurora is proud to be a part of our local film industry, and sees the ttff and other bodies that promote our local film market as irreplaceable. While there is still a ways to go, the progress that has been made thus far cannot be ignored.

“I genuinely feel that I am contributing to effecting positive change within TT. I am able to manifest and engage in national conversations on human rights, migration, government corruption, environmental degradation, crime, family, economic imperatives, art, and creation,” she says of the topical themes that can be relayed effectively through the magic of film.

“I have been very blessed to possess my particular skill set and I have worked very hard to develop and expand it. I believe that life is a gift and that if you can utilise your talents to make the world a better place, then you should.” 7

The annual competition will be taking place over the course of this long weekend and the excitement continues every weekend until October 22.

Grabbing the first win of the day in the Open category was the number six seed, Joshua Johnson, as he defeated his rival Ravishen Singh 1-0 in the opening round. The longest match of the opening round came when the number 12 seed, Atwell Adrian Winter, pulled off an upset as the underdog got past the number one seed, Frank Yee, 1-0 in their match-up.

Number two seed, Ryan Harper, got his first round victory 1-0 as he was too much to handle for the number 11 Alan-Safar Ramoutar.

The fifth seed, David Jones, could not get past the number eight seed, Dev Soondarsingh, as the latter battled immensely for the 1-0 victory. Kevin Cupid also went under to Mario Merritt 1-0 while Isaiah McIntosh proved to be tactically better than Esan Wiltshire in the first round by winning the match 1-0.

In the Women category, the number 12 seed almost pulled of another upset as Shemilah James battled the top seed, Aditi Soondarsingh, and managed a draw as they both earned half of the points. The number two seed, Gabriella Johnson, got the better of Zara Le Fleur 1-0 in the first round action.

Anusha Saha got past her rival Athena Martin 1-0.

The competition continues today with round two at the same venue and is scheduled to start at 2 pm.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia is offering to make spaces available to Dominican students displaced by Maria. The offer no doubt would require entire families to be relocated, hence Rowley’s call for us to open our doors, our homes and our pots to them.

I am sure our esteemed leader may also consider housing these displaced citizens of Dominica in the many underutilised structures in Trinidad, like the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

And who would argue that the perfect place to accommodate our unfortunate neighbours, because of the available amenities like beds, catering and medical services, is the Couva Children’s Hospital?

THELMA JOSEPH La Brea

They make my job significantly easier. But what would happen if I didn’t have access to them? Over time, I’ve learnt that necessity really is the mother of invention.

Working with your hands is not only possible, but surprisingly beneficial for doing your makeup.

Your hands are great because they don’t cost you anything and you won’t encounter the stress of having to clean any brushes or sponges. A lack of tools doesn’t have to stop you from doing your makeup. There is, however, a golden rule: Always ensure that your hands are clean before you touch your face.

You can create various effects by using your hands.

Backstage at fashion shows, you see a lot of artists using their hands to apply makeup to models. This is because their hands are readily available and can melt products into skin for the perfect “no-makeup” makeup.

Usually, you use your hands to apply moisturiser and primer, so why not use your hands for the rest of your face makeup? Since your fingers won’t absorb product, you’ll find that you can use less product and achieve more coverage.

When it comes to concealer, you should apply it using patting motions to spread and blend it seamlessly.

I like to apply cream blush using my thumbs since they are the perfect size to deposit and blend the right amount of colour on the cheeks; the luminosity from the blush also creates a naturally radiant finish. Liquid and cream highlight also melt right into the skin when applied with fingers.

Using your index and middle fingers together, tap the highlight onto the high points of your face like the cheekbones, forehead, down the bridge of the nose, the cupid’s bow and the chin, for a litfrom- within glow.

If your eyeshadow doesn’t usually apply well with a brush, try applying it with your fingers.

A patchy finish is common with some frosty, shimmery, glittery or textured eyeshadows. Pat the color on to deposit it, then swipe your finger back and forth to crush and spread the pigments for a more foil-like finish. You will get a more concentrated application with your finger and thus, better colour payoff. In the same manner that you’d use a brush or a cotton bud to smudge eyeliner, you can use your little finger to blur it and create a smoky, smoldering effect.

Lastly, y o u c a n create a lip stain by dotting lipstick onto your lips and using your index finger to blot the color and spread it out for a sheer, flushed effect.

This is especially great if you have a colour that is too dark, bright or unwearable. For example, you can create a subtle berry stain from a vampy, wine red lipstick.

Some creamy products work best on normal or dry skin, so what should you do if you have oily skin? Unless you keep your brushes separate, the dusty, dirty brush at the bottom of your makeup bag should not touch your face. If you’re careful, you can use the sponge that comes with a powder compact to blot and mattify your skin.

Use it sparingly because the sponge can really pack the powder on, which will create a cakey appearance. If you don’t have a compact, then blotting papers or tissue paper will lift away any excess moisture, leaving you with a semi-matte finish. If you favour an eco-friendlier option, a reusable blotting sponge such as a blotterazzi by Beautyblender will remove excess oil and freshen the appearance of your makeup.

As an inhabitant of planet earth, by accident of colonial history, I happened to be born in TT , direct descendant of the two major ethnic streams constituting our population. That I am a citizen of this country, I owe to the vagaries of fate! The fundamental is that I am a human being. The rest is happenstance.

Growing up in the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural, plural community of Princes Town in the 1950s, I understood that some had more than others. But the concept of a divisive inequality did not quite resonate. Sharing whatever was available was part of the common village culture.

I attended the University of the West Indies in the early 1960’s, reading for a BSc in Agriculture. But I graduated with much more than an understanding of the science of agriculture.

The exposure to and interaction with fellow students across the Caribbean honed an illuminating “West Indianness,” now firmly etched into my very being.

In the same way a social calculus based on ethnicity is alien to my way of thinking; so too, I cannot apply the “them and us” paradigm to much of the analysis relating to affairs which impact TT and our Caribbean sister states.

In my professional life, I have worked in post-disaster emergency situations and in post-conflict resettlement of internally displaced persons globally. I have seen, and been affected, by desperation, borne of need – parents who would do anything to secure a morsel for hungry children.

I have seen prime ministers having to forgo their dignity and bathe in the river after a disastrous hurricane.

No country in this world is without pockets of poverty and need – not USA, Germany, Japan, China, India, South Africa, Nigeria or Bangladesh! That does not argue the case for their not reaching out, sharing and helping in times of need. There is always space for another plate at the table! In a democracy, each is entitled to express her/his opinion! The exhortation to: “Close Your Homes!” I deem nothing less than an act of xenophobia. It is no different from the position taken by many countries and their citizens against the Rohingyas, the Syrian refugees and displaced people the world over! Close YOUR home if you will, that’s your choice! As a fellow inhabitant of planet earth, I applaud the national appeal to open OUR homes, if we can. The aftermath of the disaster in Dominica has exposed a human tragedy of vast proportions that requires the determined collective response of all Caribbean people. “It is a crisis of solidarity, not a crisis of numbers.” Winston R Rudd er Petit Valley

It is alleged harsh words were exchanged between the 40-yearold John, who featured for the entire match, and the Stars players, during the one-sided contest which ended 6-0 in favour of North East Stars. Central FC, who completed a historic three-peat of league titles last season, are currently languishing in the standings and looking unlikely to make it four in a row.

Ironically, John is also an assistant coach with the Trinidad and Tobago team, while national coach Dennis Lawrence looked on in the stands.

According to a Stars player, who requested anonymity, John should permanently hang up his boots instead of trading barbs on the field with this country’s professional footballers.

“I thought it was very distasteful. There is always banter within football.

Banter amongst the players is one thing but when you have the position as the assistant coach of the national team, and a head coach (of a club team), it would come across a lot different.

“I was a member of Central FC previously. I don’t know him personally but I think that the remarks were uncalled for, coming from a person of his stature. It was definitely uncalled for, banter or not.” About the all-time TT record goal-scorer (70 goals from 115 internationals), the player stated, “You are past your career. Your playing days are over.

“Nobody said you (were) not a good player.

You were a good player. But now is time for the younger players because it’s their generation, their time to shine to make something of themselves, so they can now move (forward).” North East Stars coach Derek King, when contacted yesterday, pointed out, “As a coach, I would never disrespect (any) coach in the League or disrespect any player. At the end of the day we (need), as coaches and club owners, to build Trinidad and Tobago football.

“It’s not about us. It’s about building Trinidad and Tobago football to take it to the next level.

We’re here to support, we’re the feeder for the national set-up. We should be as one, all the coaches,” ended King, the former TT defender and assistant coach.

Efforts to contact Brent Sancho, owner of North East Stars, proved futile.

In assisting him in writing his autobiography, I recall how it pained him that although we had made some progress, we were not living up to our republican Constitution’s fundamental principles.

I am also concerned that we continue to act like ostriches and ignore the need, eg, for constitutional reform; to deal with our failing institutions; to develop effective plans/strategies/policies to address crime and violence, including corruption which diverts resources from the people.

The family is the bedrock of our society. We need to strengthen family life. Strong families build strong communities which, in turn, will build a strong nation.

Sadly, though, while many of those in TT ’s prisons may come from broken homes, one-parent or dysfunctional families etc, many of our white-collar criminals come from privileged backgrounds and have no qualms about stealing from that which belongs to the people of TT .

While more than 500 student nurses are protesting because they have not been receiving their monthly stipend of $800 for more than a year, citizens are aghast at the alleged acts of corruption in the country. “Fighting corruption is not just good governance, it’s self-defence. It’s patriotism,” (Joe Biden).

Are we moving away from the values that our parents tried to inculcate in us? Murder and mayhem continue apace in TT . We are indisciplined in so many ways. A few minutes of rain leads to floods in key parts of TT , partly due to our own actions.

As a republican State, power rests in us, the citizens. We must act responsibly.

We elect representatives whom we hope will be visionary, competent, and courageous; who will learn how to work across party lines to build the common good, creating conditions which will “enable individuals, families and organisations to achieve complete and effective fulfilment” (Pope St John XXIII). If TT is to progress, we need to ensure that people are at the centre of development.

After 41 years, there are too many on the margins of our society; too many who don’t have basic amenities. We need an overhaul of all our systems — healthcare, education, social services etc. And, as we engage in the Budget-making process for 2017-2018, let us not forget that effective diversification takes years.

Although we know that we can no longer rely on oil and gas to fill our coffers, we are not taking urgent steps to diversify. Effective diversification takes years. We have a yoke of growing debt around our necks because of years of Budget deficits. We continue to use the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund for recurrent expenditure. This is a recipe for disaster.

In June, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley had discussions with Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s executive secretary, who stated that there was a need for the English-speaking Caribbean island states to reduce their debts.

No knight in shining armour is coming to our aid. Let’s “band our own belly” before the IMF is called in.

In spite of our social ills, remember Dr Abdul Kalam’s (former president of India) words: “We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us.”

LEELA RAMDEEN chair, Catholic Commission for Social Justice

The Paramin couple, who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on February 15, will be featured in the documentary 70 Years Together at the TT Film Festival.

The documentary will be shown at MovieTowne’s cineplexs in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando and Tobago, beginning from 1 pm.

The Josephs’ grand-daughter, Cassandra, told Sunday Newsday her grandparents story was inspirational and felt it should be shown to the world as an example of how married couples should live in an age where, according to recent statistics, the average marriage lasts only three years.

Cassandra said she was grateful her grand-parents were still alive to celebrate the milestone.

“It is unheard of for both people to be alive because one partner is usually deceased. It is something we take fro granted because a lot of people do not have their grandparents around,” she said. Cassandra said her grandparents have led by example.

“They get up at a certain time and they don’t eat any fast foods, white chicken as they say. The use a lot of organic stuff and I believe their lifestyle is the secret to their longevity.” She said her grandparents, devout Catholics, were exemplars in the community and deserved to be featured.

“People always ask them about their secret to a long and happy married life and what advice they could give to young married couples.

So, we believe that reaching this blessing is really a milestone.” Married in 1947, at ages 23 and 19, respectively, Bertrand and Claudia wore traditional creole wear, a dress code they repeated when they celebrated their anniversary in February.

Bertrand is a retired senior nurse, who worked at St Ann’s Hospital, while Claudia managed the household.

The couple raised five children Today, the Josephs, who still live at their home in Paramin, are also the eldest married couple in the village.

On achieving their 64th wedding anniversary in 2011, the couple was recognised at Our Lady of Guadeloupe (Pararmin RC Church).

They also received an apostolic blessing from Pope Benedict XVI.

Had it been left to her grandparents, Cassandra said their wedding anniversary in February would have passed quietly with little or no fanfare. She said they would have never agreed to a celebration or an appearance at the TT Film Festival.

“They are not very material people. They have never been interested in celebrating anniversaries.

Their money has been to provide for the family.” Cassandra, speaking on behalf of the family, wished her grandparents many more years of wedded bliss.

One individual apparently had a breakdown. The conversation went the road of racial politics and that the UNC didn’t stand a chance anymore if residents of other Caribbean islands were to be accepted here and that the PNM strategy had always been this importation of voters. And, of course, there was the overarching concern with crime. One voice was willing to accommodate because migrants would be better workers than locals and things might very well get done here. These were all legitimate concerns of course. And they tell a story of us, in a microcosm albeit, but a story anyway.

That line revisited saying, “A child cannot be told to share, if he/she hasn’t known what it means to possess something.” Not in those exact words but that’s the general essence. It comes from Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

The sentence is important here perhaps for the simple reason, that as citizens of this land, it seems that our battle for space– from the conversation on my Facebook feed–is still unresolved.

But this is not news. These views should not be new to any resident of Trinidad and one wonders, really, how ready we are for climate refugees? In the last two weeks, two hurricanes, in quick succession, hit some of our Caribbean neighbours leaving many homeless, and overnight refugees. But, even before this, the Rohyinga issue in Myanmar was uppermost in my mind (more on that at another date) together with the crime that took the lives of two elderly women in Trinidad. And I thought of the latter that, if this didn’t make citizens begin to form vigilante groups, well then nothing else would.

Well the conclusion is nothing’s going to happen. Pensioners have been robbed, raided, murdered and we stand by. Retrenchments, murders, kidnapping of children, men and women, rise in cost of living – are all issues that we have been trying to cope with and the situation keeps getting worse.

Are we hoping that a superhero is going to pop up to do the work– alone–while we cheer and congratulate or in some cases blame him/her for things gone wrong? Do we not realise that while we may not be able to eradicate some of these issues, that we can at least control them? That all the citizens need to do is quietly, without much fuss or fanfare if they wish, down tools and disrupt the systems, forcing administrators into action.

I read a foolish argument when this type of disruption was suggested that went something like this, “Think about the poor people who need jobs, how can they down tools? They are not privileged like you to have a job…etc etc.” I thought, “Well, this is the exact reason why nothing is happening.

It’s because this thinking prevails that we continue to box ourselves into a seemingly helpless situation. We haven’t as yet recognised, perhaps because we have never known the power of a collective voice.” Don’t blame the Government when we continue to suffer in silence and fear to the point that now when someone asks if we are ready for climate refugees some of us have meltdowns because our own sense of humanity has been depleted on account of the fact that we ourselves are essentially also trying to survive.

Some see these displaced peoples as threats because we as citizens are also helpless. We don’t mind giving aid from afar or even going across to help with the rebuilding, but why accommodate more persons into a space where our own citizens are struggling to make ends meet? The issue is, how human do we feel when we are constantly on the lookout for the next kidnapper, the next murderer, the next gunman, lying in wait to rob you and also take your life? Do some of us still feel human enough to extend compassion? What is compassion anyway but, as one writer put it, a primal instinct that tells you that this act might very well cover your own back in the future. It has nothing to do with goodness but rather your own survival. So, what do we have to gain from our compassion towards our Caribbean neighbours? Which “citizen” is ready to accommodate someone who is seemingly as dispossessed as he/she is and thus add more heads to the battle for cultural and political space? A n d so the q u e s – tion on that feed stands: Are we r e a l l y r e a d y for clim a t e r e f u – gees?

If CHD develops in active or fit individuals, it occurs at a later age and tends to be less severe.

How exercise helps the heart “One of the key benefits of exercise is that it helps to control or modify many of the risk factors for heart disease,” says Dr Kerry J Stewart, Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Exercise has benefits in and of itself, however, the best way to prevent heart disease is to combine exercise with a healthy diet. Exercise alone can help with weight loss over a long period of time. But a short-term approach is to reduce the number of calories you take in through diet, while increasing the calories you use through exercise.

Exercise has many positive effects on heart health. A regular exercise routine can: • Help lower blood pressure • Lessen risk of developing diabetes • Help Maintain healthy body weight • Reduce inflammation throughout the body • Improve the muscles’ ability to pull oxygen out of the blood, reducing the need for the heart to pump more blood to the muscles.

• Reduce stress hormones that can put an extra burden on the heart.

• Work like a beta blocker to slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure.

• Increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol and helps control triglycerides.

Researchers have found that patients who suffered heart attacks and who participated in a formal exercise programme, reduced the death rate by 20 to 25 per cent. In addition, patients with newly diagnosed heart diseases who participated in exercise programmes, reported an earlier return to work and improvements in other measures of quality of life, including a boost in their selfconfidence, lower stress, and less anxiety.

Ideal exercise for the heart The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine both recommend combining aerobic exercise (jogging, swimming, and biking) with resistance training (moderate weightlifting). Together, these two categories of exercise produce the greatest benefit for preventing and managing heart disease.

However, if you currently suffer from cardiovascular disease, you should get advice from your medical practitioner to assist in creating a workout plan that is tailored to your unique needs.