By Rae Wiltshire
In collaboration with the Theatre Guild, the Georgetown Film Festival (GFF) is excited to announce its inaugural film festival. Taking place from August 21st to 23rd at 7 pm each day, the festival will spotlight films from mostly across the region. The films will be presented according to three distinct themes: ‘Breaking Traditions’ on August 21st, ‘Kaleidoscope’ on August 22nd and ‘Inheritance’ on August 23rd.
The Programming Committee, which includes this writer, has observed that filmmakers are often preoccupied with how societal pressures influence behaviour when individuals choose to go against the grain. One standout example is “Unite for Bissau”, a documentary directed and produced by Iara Lee. The film explores the struggles women face in a patriarchal society and highlights how they achieved autonomy by forming a strong community through farming. It was the first film from this country that any of us had ever seen, making it crucial to highlight cinema from less accessible corners of the globe. Beyond its rarity, “Unite for Bissau” is a film of high quality, demonstrating the strength of women in a society that undervalues their empowerment.