The documentary film, "Havana Habibi," was selected by the Nouveaux Regards Film Festival in Guadeloupe, and as the filmmaker, it was an incredible honor to be included!

The festival featured screenings of Caribbean films, with master classes and workshops by leading filmmakers from the region. The weekend was rich with intimate conversations about race in the Caribbean. Among the creative hearts and minds present for the festival was Pachy Mendez, lead actress of Miriam Miente- a Dominican film dealing with racism and colorism and Arturo Infante, writer and director El Viaje Extraordinario de Celeste Garcia.

Cedric Richer from Panamaera (above, left) and French film director Ladj LY (above, right), both jurists for Nouveaux Film Festival, shared their energy and insight. Ladj is now up for an award at Cannes Film Festival - being able to have the feedback and encouragement of such incredibly talented filmmakers was truly a gift. We also had the honor of meeting Priscilla Delanney, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Nouveaux Regards Film Festival (seen in the image below, left). Delanney is a brilliant Caribbean woman doing big things for filmmakers in the region.

The film festival offered a loving surprise for Havana Habibi - a beautiful beledi performance from Audrey EdenKasser! (seen in the image below, right).

This was an important opportunity for an exchange of dialogue for Caribbean filmmakers, while creating connections that will surely lead to more impactful projects for all of the attendees. As Havana Habibi strives to build bridges across the Caribbean, participation in the Nouveaux Regards Film Festival in Guadeloupe is just one more way that our organization will be able to make new connections into the region.