Unfinished Sentences
a film by Mariel Brown
Trinidad-Jamaica | documentary | HD | color | 95 min | 2018
About this film
Synopsis
A filmmaker daughter and her writer father navigate the conflicting issues of their relationship: race and art, adoration and disappointment, success and failure. Until he dies and in her grief, she discovers that his poetry and prose transcend death, allowing her to hear his voice again and find a way back to herself.
Crew & Cast
Original Title: UNFINISHED SENTENCES
International Title: UNFINISHED SENTENCES
Original language: English
Writen & Directed by: Mariel Brown
Co-Writen: Fernanda Rossi
Produced by: Mariel Brown & Saffrey Brown
Executive Producers: Republic Bank | SAVANT Films
Directors of Photography: Sean Edghill Nadia Huggins
Original music composed by: Francesco Emmanuel
Edited by: Laura Fong-Prosper
Sound design by: David Forshee
Costume designer: Lisa Gittens
Associate Producers: Lisa Harewood, Jennifer Galvin
Featuring the voices of: Nigel Scott, Nickolai Salcedo, Donna Benny, Mariel Brown, Rachel Manley
UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGERS
Danielle Dieffenthaller, Juliette McCawley
FEATURING PERFORMANCES by:
Renaldo Frederick as Wayne Brown
Sophie Wight as Megan Hopkyn-Rees
Nora Dowden as Mariel (baby)
Ché Jardine as Mariel (child)
Alessandra Jardine as Saffrey (child)
FEATURING INTERVIEWS with:
Donna Benny, Saffrey Brown, Richard Harford, Ronald Harford, Megan Hopkyn-Rees, Rachel Manley, Grace Montes de Oca, Mervyn Morris, Michael Prescod
CAMERA OPERATOR: Damian Jobity
1st ASSISTANT CAMERA: Romano Francois
ADDITIONAL CAMERA: Mariel Brown, Dominic Koo, Richard Mark Rawlins, Kyle Walcott
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Maya Cross-Lovelace, Soraya Moolchan, Rayya Mustapha, Dainia Wright
SET DESIGN: Megan Hopkyn-Rees
EXTRAS: Tiy Cross-Lovelace, Nicholas Emery, Zarna Hart, Horacio Hospedales, Lisa Gittens, Zia Gittens, Xica LeePoy, Max LeePoy, Rayya Mustapha
RESEARCH: Mariel Brown, Lynne Parks, Alake Pilgrim
TRANSCRIPTIONS: Rayya Mustapha, Lynne Parks, Alake Pilgrim, Dainia Wright
ARCHIVAL SOURCES:
Government Information Services Ltd
National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago
Saffrey Brown
Megan Hopkyn-Rees
Alex and David Kelly
Grace Montes De Oca
RECORDING ENGINEER: Karan Mahabal
DIALOGUE EDITOR: Joseph DiMarco
SOUND EFFECTS EDITOR: Natalia Saavedra Brychcy
Festivals & Awards
- Ventana Caribe Selection. Ventana Sur. Buenos Aires, 2015
- Primera Mirada selection (work-in-progress). IFF Panama, 2017
- Trinidad & Tobago Premiere. Bocas Literary Fest 2018
- Official Selection. IFF Panama 2018
- Winner. Best Trinidad+Tobago Feature Film. Trinidad+Tobago Film Fest 2018
- Winner Best Feature Length Film. Caribbean Tales Film Fest, Toronto 2018
- Official Selection. Island House Film Festival. Bahamas 2019
- Official Selection. Havana FF 2018
- Winner. Best Editing (for Laura Fong-Prosper) International Documentary Competition. FICSUR, Argentina. 2019
Sinopsis
Al sumergirse en los textos escritos por su padre, el fallecido poeta caribeño Wayne Brown (1944-2009), su hija navega su conflictiva relación y hace las pases con su legado, a la vez que consigue encontrar el camino de regreso a sí misma.
Con secuencias recreadas utilizando actores que se parecen físicamente a los miembros de su familia, la directora entreteje memorias, sueños y realidad, creando la sensación de que estamos viendo videos caseros en super 8 rescatados de algún baúl de recuerdos.
Universal a la vez que autoreferencial, el documental es también un ensayo que nos ayuda a decodificar la identidad y la cultura del Caribe de habla inglesa, tan cerca y a la vez tan ajeno a la América Latina. Pero más allá de todo, Unfinished Sentences es un mapa de ruta para superar el dolor de la pérdida y del desencuentro y enseñarnos cómo las memorias pueden ayudarnos a construir la visión sobre el presente y sobre nosotros mismos.
Ficha técnica
Título original: UNFINISHED SENTENCES
Título internacional: UNFINISHED SENTENCES
Idioma original: inglés
Escrito y dirigido por: Mariel Brown
Co-guionista: Fernanda Rossi
Producido por: Mariel Brown & Saffrey Brown
Producción Ejecutiva: Republic Bank | SAVANT Films
Dirección de fotografía: Sean Edghill, Nadia Huggins
Música original: Francesco Emmanuel
Editado por: Laura Fong-Prosper
Diseño de sonido: David Forshee
Vestuario: Lisa Gittens
Productores asociados: Lisa Harewood, Jennifer Galvin
Voz en off: Nigel Scott, Nickolai Salcedo, Donna Benny, Mariel Brown, Rachel Manley
PRODUCCIÓN DE CAMPO
Danielle Dieffenthaller, Juliette McCawley
Con la participación actoral de:
Renaldo Frederick como Wayne Brown
Sophie Wight como Megan Hopkyn-Rees
Nora Dowden como Mariel (babé)
Ché Jardine como Mariel (niña)
Alessandra Jardine como Saffrey (niña)
Entrevistados:
Donna Benny, Saffrey Brown, Richard Harford, Ronald Harford, Megan Hopkyn-Rees, Rachel Manley, Grace Montes de Oca, Mervyn Morris, Michael Prescod
OPERADOR DE CÁMARA: Damian Jobity
1er ASISTENTE DE CÁMARA: Romano Francois
CÁMARA ADICIONAL: Mariel Brown, Dominic Koo, Richard Mark Rawlins, Kyle Walcott
ASISTENCIA DE PRODUCCIÓN: Maya Cross-Lovelace, Soraya Moolchan, Rayya Mustapha, Dainia Wright
SET DESIGN: Megan Hopkyn-Rees
EXTRAS: Tiy Cross-Lovelace, Nicholas Emery, Zarna Hart, Horacio Hospedales, Lisa Gittens, Zia Gittens, Xica LeePoy, Max LeePoy, Rayya Mustapha
INVESTIGACIÓN: Mariel Brown, Lynne Parks, Alake Pilgrim
TRANSCRIPCIONES: Rayya Mustapha, Lynne Parks, Alake Pilgrim, Dainia Wright
MATERIAL DE ARCHIVO:
Government Information Services Ltd
National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago
Saffrey Brown
Megan Hopkyn-Rees
Alex and David Kelly
Grace Montes De Oca
INGENIERO DE SONIDO: Karan Mahabal
EDITOR DE DIÁLOGOS: Joseph DiMarco
EDITOR DE EFECTOS DE SONIDO: Natalia Saavedra Brychcy
Festivales y premios
- Selección Ventana Caribe. Ventana Sur. Buenos Aires, 2015
- Selección Primera Mirada (work-in-progress) IFF Panama, 2017
- Premiere en Trinidad & Tobago. Bocas Literary Fest 2018
- Selección oficial. IFF Panama 2018
- Ganador. Mejor Largometraje de Trinidad+Tobago.Trinidad+Tobago Film Fest 2018
- Ganador. Mejor Largometraje. Caribbean Tales Film Fest, Toronto 2018
- Selección oficial. Festival Internacional de Cine de la Habana 2018
- Selección oficial. Island House Film Festival. Bahamas 2019
- Ganador. Mejor Montaje (para Laura Fong-Prosper). Competencia Internacional de Documentales. FICSUR, Argentina. 2019
Sinopse
Ao mergulhar nos textos escritos por seu pai, o poeta caribenho, Wayne Brown (1944-2009), sua filha navega seu conflitante relacionamento conflitante e faz as passes com seu legado, ao mesmo tempo que encontra o caminho de volta para si mesma.
Com sequências recriadas usando atores que se assemelham fisicamente a membros de sua família, o diretora entrelaça memórias, sonhos e realidade, criando a sensação de estarmos assistindo vídeos caseiros em super 8 resgatados de um baú de memórias.
Universal, bem como auto-referencial, o documentário também é um ensaio que nos ajuda a decodificar a identidade e cultura do Caribe de língua inglesa, tão próximo e, ao mesmo tempo, tão estranho para a América Latina. Mas, além de tudo, Unfinished Sentences é um mapa de rota para superar a dor do desencontro e nos ensinar como as memórias podem nos ajudar a construir a nossa visão do presente e a de nós mesmos.
Ficha técnica
Título original: UNFINISHED SENTENCES
Título internacional: UNFINISHED SENTENCES
Idioma original: inglês
Escrito e dirigido por: Mariel Brown
Co-roteirista: Fernanda Rossi
Producido por: Mariel Brown & Saffrey Brown
Produção executiva: Republic Bank | SAVANT Films
Direção de fotografia: Sean Edghill, Nadia Huggins
Música original: Francesco Emmanuel
Edição: Laura Fong-Prosper
Desenho de som: David Forshee
Design de figurino: Lisa Gittens
Produtores associados: Lisa Harewood, Jennifer Galvin
Narração: Nigel Scott, Nickolai Salcedo, Donna Benny, Mariel Brown, Rachel Manley
DESIGN DE PRODUÇÃO
Danielle Dieffenthaller, Juliette McCawley
Elenco de reconstrução:
Renaldo Frederick como Wayne Brown
Sophie Wight como Megan Hopkyn-Rees
Nora Dowden como Mariel (bebê)
Ché Jardine como Mariel (criança)
Alessandra Jardine como Saffrey (criança)
Entrevistados:
Donna Benny, Saffrey Brown, Richard Harford, Ronald Harford, Megan Hopkyn-Rees, Rachel Manley, Grace Montes de Oca, Mervyn Morris, Michael Prescod
OPERADOR DE CÂMERA: Damian Jobity
1ro ASSISTENTE DE CÂMERA: Romano Francois
CÂMERA ADICIONAL: Mariel Brown, Dominic Koo, Richard Mark Rawlins, Kyle Walcott
ASSISTÊNCIA DE PRODUÇÃO: Maya Cross-Lovelace, Soraya Moolchan, Rayya Mustapha, Dainia Wright
CENOGRAFIA: Megan Hopkyn-Rees
EXTRAS: Tiy Cross-Lovelace, Nicholas Emery, Zarna Hart, Horacio Hospedales, Lisa Gittens, Zia Gittens, Xica LeePoy, Max LeePoy, Rayya Mustapha
INVESTIGAÇÃO: Mariel Brown, Lynne Parks, Alake Pilgrim
TRANSCRIÇÕES: Rayya Mustapha, Lynne Parks, Alake Pilgrim, Dainia Wright
MATERIAIS DE ARQUIVO:
Government Information Services Ltd
National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago
Saffrey Brown
Megan Hopkyn-Rees
Alex and David Kelly
Grace Montes De Oca
ENGENHEIRO DE SOM: Karan Mahabal
EDITOR DE DIÁLOGOS: Joseph DiMarco
EDITOR DE EFEITOS SONOROS: Natalia Saavedra Brychcy
Festivais e prêmios
- Seleção Ventana Caribe. Ventana Sur. Buenos Aires, 2015
- Seleção Primera Mirada (work-in-progress) IFF Panama, 2017
- Premiere em Trinidad & Tobago. Bocas Literary Fest 2018
- Seleção oficial. IFF Panama 2018
- Ganhador. Melhor Longa-metragem de Trinidad+Tobago.Trinidad+Tobago Film Fest 2018
- Ganhador. Melhor Longa-metragem. Caribbean Tales Film Fest, Toronto 2018
- Seleção oficial. Festival Internacional de Cine de Havana 2018
- Seleção oficial. Island House Film Festival. Bahamas 2019
- Ganhador. Melhor Montagem. Mostra Internacional Competitiva de Documentário. FICSUR, Argentina. 2019
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Press reviews
‘In further creating the sensation of how memories work, a significant amount of Brown’s material is layered and super-imposed upon other visuals, creating a sense of the dense thorniness and complexity of how the mind seeks to reclaim and recast the past into the present. The results are mesmerizing and deeply moving. Brown is a born filmmaker, with an impressive eye and a deep sense of how to connect the intimate to the universal.’ Read more
Memories playback like movies: a new personal documentary from Trinidad by Jaie Laplante, Director of Programming, Miami Film Festival.
‘Grief is a strange beast. When “Unfinished Sentences” helmer Mariel Brown’s father died in 2009, she was afflicted with a psychosomatic hearing problem and plunged into a deep depression. A celebrated Caribbean writer-poet, her father Wayne Brown succumbed to lung cancer not long after he was diagnosed.’ Read more
Mariel Brown’s ‘Unfinished Sentences’ Is Ode to Family, Love and Loss. Anna Maria de la Fuente, VARIETY
‘Not all relationships between fathers and daughters are made in heaven or sugar n spice. Some can be rather tempestuous and estranged. The relationship between Mariel Brown and her late father, acclaimed writer Wayne Brown, is the germ that has inspired her film Unfinished Sentences.’ Read more
Unfinished Sentences heads to Panama. Peter Ray Blood, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO GUARDIAN