Cayman Through My Eyes Film Competition 2014 winners announced

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (July 4, 2014) Three students have been named the winners in the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (DOT) Cayman…Through My Eyes short Film Competition from 80 outstanding entries.

The winners were announced at a final screening that took place recently at the Camana Bay Cinemas.

Beginning in January, students had the opportunity to submit films between 1 to 3 minutes long for the contest. The competition was divided into three divisions, Junior (Ages 11 – 13), Middle (Ages 14 – 16) and Senior (Ages 17 – 19). This year’s winners are:

• Junior Division – Lia Piper
• Middle Division – Mckayla Cupid
• Senior Division – Raidez Perez.

The People’s Choice Award went to Ayana Davis Eden for her “Caymankind Inspires Me” short film. She had a total of 990 votes. Winners of each division received a 1-week scholarship to the New York Film Academy (NYFA) Summer Camp

Sponsors for the event included the Cayman Islands Department of Commerce and Investment, Atlantis Submarines and the Cayman Turtle Farm. The Judges for the competition were, Ryan Rajkumarsingh (DCI), Tony Mark (Cathy Church Photo Centre) and Tremayne Ebanks (Apex Video Solutions).

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Cayman…Through My Eyes Film Competition was developed to help bring awareness to tourism, history, culture and a sense of pride about the Cayman Islands in our youth though film.

It targets the Cayman Islands primary, secondary level and first year college students.

Acting Director of Tourism, Mrs Rosa Harris, praised the budding filmmakers, saying: “It is always refreshing to be reminded that the Caymankind spirit resides in all of us here, regardless of our age. These young stars have showed an awareness of our culture, environment and what it really means to be a part of the Cayman Islands and I believe that competitions like this help to inspire our youth to develop into ambassadors of Cayman.”

Captions:        Winners – Mckayla Cupid (L), Raidez Perez (Mid) & Lia Pipe (R)

People’s Choice – Ryan Rajkumarsingh presents to Ayana Davis Eden

Ebony hails Caribbean poets

By Richard Johnson senior reporter From Jamaica Observer

Noted African-American glossy Ebony has named six Caribbean writers to watch this summer.

Published in its June edition, the magazine listed four Jamaicans — Poet Laureate professor Mervyn Morris, Beverley East, Ann Margaret Lim and Roland Watson-Grant, along with Andrea Stuart from Barbados and the United States Virgin Islands’ Tiphanie Yanique, as scribes readers should take the time to discover.

Ebony found these writers at this year’s Calabash

Literary Festival, held in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth in May.

The magazine noted that in the presence of celebrated authors including Salman Rushdie, regional writers held their own.

“Equally thrilling though, was thepresence of literary voices from the Caribbean; writers that weave together tales of their homeland with precision and colorful narratives.”

Ebony described Morris as “a master of evoking personal memories with wit and sentimentality. He is also not afraid to shift from

English to patois, exhibiting the complex history of the country.”

East was praised for her work, Bat Mitzvah Girl, which chronicles her life in London, where she was raised by her parents and four Jewish women who were neighbours.

Of Lim, the magazine declared: “Lim’s name is sure to be one that gains more attention in the coming years.” And noted that Watson Grant’s writing demonstrates how “how prose could both sting and elate all at once.”

The detail of Stuart’s writing, and a listing of Yanique’s works capped the Calabash exposé in Ebony.

IMAGES:

Roland Watson Grant & Ann Margaret Lim

Beverley East & Mervyn Morris

For more on this story go to:

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Ebony-hails-Caribbean-poets_17041407