On Saturday, March 22 at 6 p.m. the Gri Gri Project and the St. John Film Society will host a screening of short Caribbean films at Bajo el Sol Gallery in Mongoose Junction. Discover the art of storytelling through the lens of Vincentian filmmaker Akley Olton. Olton, the founder of Island Rebel Media, a premier film, audiovisual, and multimedia production company in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, boasting over 15 years of industry experience, will be present for the screening and a Q&A session afterwards. There is a suggested donation of $5.
Part of the mission of the St. John Film Society is to present independent films that celebrate the human spirit with a focus on the Caribbean.
A couple of the films that will be featured include Black Doll, a film about a grandmother’s adventures, finding a black doll on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Madulu, The Seaman, a film about a grandfather, the last of the Barrouallie whalers, teaching his grandson about the traditional practice of hunting “blackfish.”
Akley Olton is an award-winning filmmaker and visual artist from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, celebrated for his innovative storytelling that inspires and provokes. With over 15 years of experience in cinematography, directing, and producing, he has made a significant mark on Caribbean cinema. Olton’s notable works include the internationally acclaimed short film Black Doll (2018), Madulu, The Seaman (2022). A graduate of the University of the West Indies and Cuba’s prestigious International School of Film and Television (EICTV), he blends striking visuals with themes of resistance, cultural identity, and social transformation. Recognized with the 2022 Prince Claus Seed Award, Olton continues to elevate Caribbean narratives on a global stage.
Bajo El Sol Gallery & Art Bar is home to thought-provoking monthly exhibitions, readings by award winning V.I. writers & poets, documentary screenings on some of the Caribbean’s most respected thinkers, as well as talks by local academics and visiting curators.
The Gri Gri Project’s mission is to create and support interpretive art exhibitions, artist-centered events, archives, and writing related to the cultural patrimony of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the broader Caribbean region.
The screening is supported by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, & the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts
& the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC.
