One From Ten : Spotlight On Alwin Bully

By Khadija Sinanan

With a list of achievements long enough to span Portsmouth to Roseau twice over (for those of us not familiar with the geography of Dominica, trust us, this is no cake walk), Alwin Bully is reputed for his invaluable contributions to the rich literary theatre, film and creative scene of his native Dominica and the wider Caribbean. Bully is reputed not only for designing the original national flag of Dominica on its independence from British rule in 1978, but also his exemplary contributions through service in several public capacities, which greatly facilitated the propagation of art and culture in Dominica. His influence extended also to the wider Caribbean, through his roles as President, Partners of the Americas, Dominica/Duchess Country, NY, USA (1987–88), UNESCO Senior Programme Specialist for Culture, Jamaica, and as Executive Member, Association of Caribbean Theatre Artists among several others. A continuation of this regional thrust of sharing and creating in a uniquely Caribbean space, Alwin Bully is due to participate in the 1st CaribbeanTales Content Incubator, one element of the CaribbeanTales 2011 Film Festival, Symposium and Marketplace, scheduled to kick off in Barbados on March 14 at the Island Inn Hotel. He also plays the lead in Russell Watson's film, 'A Hand Full of Dirt', the opening night feature of the CaribbeanTales Film Festival to be screened on March 14^th at Frank Collymore Hall.
Bully is one of the select ten producers from around the world slated to participate in the CaribbeanTales Content Incubator. A highly competitive endeavour, the successful ten participants were chosen from a pool of more than 50 producers who applied to this year’s Content Incubator program. The unique program, a critical element of the CaribbeanTales 2011 Festival, Symposium and Marketplace, aims to provide participants with support to develop their new projects through intensive analyses and interventions by international consultants.
This year’s incubator focuses on exploring popular local characters and stories that will draw large audiences and funding. Filmmakers will also take part in other events during the festival, like the Symposium, public workshops and screenings, and benefit from networking opportunities with local and international attendees. At the end of the week, they will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to a panel of buyers at the Pitch Marketplace that will take place on March 19th.
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