Andrew Kendall, the Head of the Department of Language and Cultural Studies at the University of Guyana (UG), has recently been selected as a judge for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
TIFF, which was founded in 1976, is one of the world’s largest film festivals and will be held from September 8 to 18, this year.
The 31-year-old Kendall, who is a film critic for Sunday Stabroek, has always been passionate about the medium. After graduating from the University of Guyana with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, he pursued his Master’s in Film and Literature at the University of York in the United Kingdom. His first time judging a film competition was in 2015, when he was appointed chief judge for the Loyola Documentary Film Festival.
The film critic is delighted to be on the International Federation of Film Critics Jury, also known as the FIPRESCI Jury, which is the second time in a row he has been named to the panel. This jury is one of three distinguished international film juries in the lineup for TIFF 2022.
Kendall, who has 10 years of experience as a film critic, said he was honoured to be chosen by FIPRESCI. “You would typically apply through your country membership and the general FIPRESCI admin would select the persons who are most suitable to sit on the jury,” he explained of the jury selection process.
However, because there is no Guyanese film organisation, he applied directly to FIPRESCI and thus, became the only registered Guyanese film critic for the FIPRESCI jury. Kendall said his first experience at the Toronto International Film Festival was memorable but strange because it was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is, however, extremely excited for this year’s festival because for the first time he will get to enjoy the event in its usual atmosphere. “It is nice to get a chance to sit on the jury again but without the limits of tech,” he shared. Kendall thinks of it as a “proper experience in Toronto,” where he will have the opportunity to meet and engage with renowned film critics and also filmmakers.
The FIPRESCI Jury will be awarding the prize of International Critics dedicated to emerging filmmakers for the 29th year. When it comes to film criticism, what these Jurors will be doing is debating the strengths and weaknesses of the films featured.
Kendall indicated that critics tend to look for filmmakers who have a clear voice. “Filmmaking is just like any kind of art, what we want is somebody who has a clear sense of what they want to say, in terms of theme and the aesthetic of cinema,” he explained before noting that they must be someone whose voice cinema needs.
Personally, Kendall tries not to go into the film festival season with too many preconceived notions. For him the best part of the festival experience is discovering things that are outside of his “wheelhouse.” He hopes to cross paths with some “unexpected gems, from non-English-language filmmakers, to female filmmakers and filmmakers of colour.”
He shared that Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio’s “The Wonder,” with Florence Pugh, has piqued his interest because “South American directors have done really compelling work this decade in Spanish and other languages.”
The Guyanese film critic mentioned that he is also curious to see the adaptation of one of the strongest postcolonial plays out of Africa, “The King’s Horseman,” which is based on Wole Soyinka’s “Death and the King’s Horseman,” a play he teaches at UG.
“I’m really just excited to see new, interesting and varied cinema. I love movies, it’s part of my job but also a personal interest,” he said.
He recalled the wonderful experience he had the previous year with films that emotionally moved him, like ‘Roma,’ ‘If Beale Street Could Talk,’ ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ and ‘Marriage Story.’
Also on his agenda is to find films that might be applicable for future studies in film at the department of Language and Cultural Studies at UG. One of his main aims is to use his time at the festival to bridge connections and form linkages between UG and other film entities.
Expressing his anticipation for the upcoming festival in Toronto, Kendall noted that nothing really beats being in crowd of people who are “vibing” with a movie and retaining that energy. He added, “There is something really hypnotic about that and I’m looking forward to the experience of seeing the films with an engaged audience.”
