Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2019 – Freedom in the Devil's Garb
A small town nestled in the mountains of Trinidad and Tobago, Paramin is home to some of the country's wildest blue devil festivities during the local Carnival. Every year the practitioners of the tradition compete for the title of best devil. Hidden behind paint and terrifying props, the participants are able to escape their daily identity and bring to life aspects of themselves that they generally must repress.
Interview with Director/Editor/Producer Kadri Koop
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I happened to be visiting family in Trinidad and Tobago during carnival and wanted to explore a topic related to the celebrations. I had seen images of the blue devils and it seemed like an incredibly visual and intriguing topic to explore on film. I was lucky that my producer/auntie Natacha knew some of the devils and was able to connect us.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It's an entirely visual film, no voice over or dialogue, and one can immerse themselves in the experience of Trini carnival without having to take the trip to the Caribbean.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film alludes to the colonial past of the island country and also touches upon the idea of individual self-expression.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
There was no script. The film came together after a week of filming and a few weeks of cutting in the edit.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People who have seen it have liked it.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love to see/hear if people connect with the experience of watching it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I'd love to have the film be distributed on an online platform with a large viewership.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd like to film to introduce Trini culture.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm currently working on narrative films and starting to shoot a music video for an LA-based artist.
Interview: March 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Freedom in the Devil's Garb
A small town nestled in the mountains of Trinidad and Tobago, Paramin is home to some of the country's wildest blue devil festivities during the local Carnival. Every year the practitioners of the tradition compete for the title of best devil. Hidden behind paint and terrifying props, the participants are able to escape their daily identity and bring to life aspects of themselves that they generally must repress.
Length: 6:10
Director: Kadri Koop
Producer: Natacha Jones
About the writer, director and producer:
KADRI KOOP is an award-winning Estonian director/dp sharing her time between LA and NYC. Her films have screened at film festivals from the US to the Middle East, and her work has been featured in various online publications.
Key cast: 2001 Jab Molassie Family
Looking for: buyers, sales agents, journalists, distributors, film festival directors
Instagram: @koopframe