Winter Tale cast arrives for premiere

Newsday, Port Of Spain,
Friday, May 9 2008

CAST MEMBERS of Frances-Anne Solomon’s A Winter Tale are set to arrive in Trinidad on Tuesday, in advance of the film’s premiere. Jamaican-Canadian stars Peter Williams and Michael Miller will join co-star and famed Trinidadian comedian Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall and Solomon at the film’s red carpet launch screening and reception on Wednesday, at 6:30 pm at the Globe Cinema.

A Winter Tale will go into general release across the island on May 15 at Cinema 8, Trincity Mall; Hobosco Cinema, San Fernando; and for school screenings only at Globe Cinema, Port of Spain.

The movie’s Trinidad premiere is sponsored by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company, Skywritings, Caribbean Beat, COTT, Gayelle TV, NCC TV, CNMG, Red 96.7FM, Digicel, Kalloos Car Rental, Synergy TV, E-Zone Entertainment Ltd, EZ Rental, Maria Habib and the TT Entertainment Co.

A Winter Tale’s brilliant cast includes Jamaican icon Leonie Forbes, in addition to Hall, Williams, Miller and a host of other Caribbean and Canadian talents.

Peter Williams, who was dubbed “one of Canada’s finest” actors by the Montreal Gazette, portrays Gene Wright in the film — a concerned social worker who takes it upon himself to start a local Black men’s support group, after a young boy is accidentally killed by a stray bullet. Michael Miller plays opposite Williams as a local high school kid named DX.

In addition to the theatrical release, A Winter Tale’s community distribution project Talk It Out will continue in Trinidad, as the film screens to groups of young people through local schools and community organisations. Solomon, Williams, Miller and Hall will be in attendance during the film’s daily Talk It Out school screenings, to answer questions and interact with students. Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, director and producer. She is the president and artistic director of the two companies she founded: Leda Serene Films and CaribbeanTales.

Recent projects include A Winter Tale (for Telefilm Canada/CHUM Television); Heart Beat (Bravo!); Literature Alive; and the Gemini-nominated Lord Have Mercy!, Canada’s landmark multicultural sitcom, for Vision TV, Toronto1, APTN and Showcase. Peter Williams was born and raised in Kingston, but left Jamaica to attend university. He broke into acting through modelling, and was lucky enough to “learn on the job” through some of his early projects, such as his starring role in the Gemini Award-winning series Neon Rider. His selected credits include: Catwoman, Da Vinci’s Inquest, The Chronicles of Riddick, Stargate SG-1 and Dead Like Me.

Michael Miller was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and has been acting for ten years. He has been featured in commercials for McDonalds, Northwest Airlines and Reece’s Pieces.

Miller has also worked on many Alliance Atlantis productions such as Due South, Straight Up and Drop the Beat.

His selected film and television credits include the Fox Television pilot for Save the Last Dance, as well as Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Animal 2 and Playmakers. Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall is a popular comedian, historian, producer and singer/composer from Trinidad.

He has previously worked with CaribbeanTales in the Gemini-nominated sitcom Lord Have Mercy!