Join us on 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟮 at 𝟭𝟵.𝟯𝟬 in 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗴 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 for the 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 of 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹: 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 on the second day of the 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹!
𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹: 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Date: Saturday, July 12, 2025
Time: 19.30 (doors open: 19.15)
Venue: Melkweg Cinema
Title: 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹: 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Year: 2022
Director: Leah Gordon and Eddie Hutton
Country: Haiti 🇭🇹 and United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Length: 78′
Language: Haitian Creole
Subtitles: English
Extra: The short films 𝗝𝗮𝗯 𝗝𝗮𝗯 (2017, 5', Grenada) and 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 (2023, 6', US)
Tickets:
https://bit.ly/carnaval-film-festival-2025-kanaval (soon available)
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹: 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 is a visually arresting award-winning documentary that is set in the present but tells the rich story of Haiti’s past, as we follow a number of carnival performers in the lead up to and during the annual Jacmel Mardi Gras. These performers relate their own personal histories as well as the stories of their carnival characters, representing moments and people from the distant and not so distant Haitian past. Interwoven with the interviews, testimonies and observational footage, is archive material drawn from a wide variety of sources to enhance our understanding of Haitian history and culture from the time of the indigenous Taino through to the present day.
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀 𝗝𝗮𝗯 𝗝𝗮𝗯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀
The 2017 short film 𝗝𝗮𝗯 𝗝𝗮𝗯, directed by Tom Harrad and Reuben Millns, that delves into the tradition of Grenada’s J’ouvert festival. Set in the early hours before dawn, the film captures the fervent energy of thousands of Grenadians who gather to play Jab, an ancestral masquerade where participants cover themselves in black oil, don horns, and wield chains. This ritual is both a commemoration of emancipation and a powerful act of cultural defiance. Through its evocative cinematography and soundscape, 𝗝𝗮𝗯 𝗝𝗮𝗯 offers a compelling glimpse into a living cultural heritage that continues to evolve while honoring its roots in resistance and remembrance.
The 2023 short film 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 is a 6-minute documentary that delves into the vibrant and deeply rooted cultural tradition of the Black Masking Indians, also known as Mardi Gras Indians. These African American communities in New Orleans have, for generations, created elaborate, hand-sewn suits adorned with feathers and beads, embodying a unique blend of African, Native American, and Caribbean cultural influences. The documentary offers viewers an intimate glimpse into a tradition that serves as a powerful expression of identity, resilience, and communal pride in New Orleans.
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
The 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 invites you to a vibrant 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀 celebrating and reflecting on the spirit of Carnaval worldwide. Held for the first time in Amsterdam from 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟭-𝟏𝟯, this unique 𝟯-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 explores how Carnaval has inspired filmmakers around the world to tell stories of joy, resistance, community, and freedom. From the dazzling parades of 𝗥𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗼 and 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 to the rhythmic expressions of 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, and the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 and the Prince Carnaval traditions of the 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 and 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺, Carnaval is a global phenomenon, rooted in 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. The inaugural 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 honors the complexity, creativity and resistance of these traditions, while asking urgent questions about culture, identity, and belonging in a changing world. 🙏🏿🖤✊🏿
The 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 features 𝟲 𝗼𝗻-𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 at 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗴 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 and @𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 in 𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺 in the weekend of 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟭-𝟭𝟯, as well as an extensive 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 with 𝟱𝟬+ 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 on Carnaval available wordwide. From the opening night screenings of 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗢𝗿𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘂𝘀, on 𝗥𝗶𝗼'𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹, and 𝗣𝗔𝗡! 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗱𝘆𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘆, on 𝗧+𝗧 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹, often called '𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵', to documentaries and shorts on Carnaval from across the globe, particularly in the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 (𝗛𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶, 𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮, 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮, 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗼, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘀), but also in 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺, 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 and 𝗔𝗮𝗹𝘀𝘁, the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 offers a cinematic journey into the heart of the roots and rhythms of Carnaval worldwide. 💃🏾🕺🏿
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
Caribbean Creativity is an Amsterdam-based non-profit organization that, since 2008, is committed to the programming and promotion of Caribbean and Caribbean-themed cinema in the Netherlands. Over the years, Caribbean Creativity has hosted over 300 screenings in film theatres and at film festivals, including numerous premieres. In 2020, they hosted their first film festival, the Marley75 Film Festival, in Melkweg Cinema and various other venues across Amsterdam. That very same year, they launched YardVibes, a streaming platform featuring content from independent Caribbean and African filmmakers, where they offer over 100 titles and host online film programs, such as the annual Global Extraction Film Festival (2020-2022). The Carnaval Film Festival marks the second on-location film festival they are organizing. For more information, visit www.caribbeancreativity.nl.
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰
Africadelic is a non-profit organization that, since 2016, is committed to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands. Each year on and around International Africa Day (May 25), they organize the Africacadelic Festival in Paradiso and various other partner venues across Amsterdam. This year, the 10th edition of the festival was held from May 21-31, 2025, with a special focus on the 50th anniversary of independence (1975) of five African countries (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé & Príncipe, and the Comoros) as well as Suriname. In addition, they are (co-)organizing one-off events throughout the year, including the inaugural Carnaval Film Festival. For more information, visit www.africadelic.com.
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