The 2013 trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), now in its 8th year, announced today that Biyi Bandele’s Half Of A Yellow Sun – a film adaptation of celebrated author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Orange Prize-winning novel of the same name – has been selected as the opening film of the festival, which takes place September 17th -October 1st.
The screening at ttff will serve as the film’s Caribbean / Latin American premiere, and the second time the film will be screened, following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival just a few weeks prior.
Produced by Bafta award-winner Andrea Calderwood (The Last King of Scotland) and Gail Ega (The Constant Gardner), the film is a British/Nigerian co-production and was shot at Tinapa Film Studio in Nigeria and in the UK.
“It’s a real honour to have Half of a Yellow Sun invited to be the opening night film of the trinidad+ tobago film festival,” said Calderwood, who will attend the opening. “The Festival has always been great supporters of this project, and as a groundbreaking film from top Nigerian talent telling this epic story on an international scale, this is the perfect way to introduce it to audiences in the Caribbean as we take the film out to the world.“
“We are proud that Half of a Yellow Sun will open the Festival,” added Bruce Paddington, Founder and Festival Director, ttff. “This continues our mandate to not only show films from the Caribbean and the diaspora but to also celebrate films made in Africa, one of our heritage countries.”
Opening night events for the ttff/13 will take place on the evening of Tuesday, September 17th at Queen’s Hall.
Additional announcements pertaining to the opening night and the rest of the Festival, including the full lineup of films, will be made in the coming weeks.
More information about the ttff can be found at: http://www.ttfilmfestival.com.
