Spreading the Word through Film
We create short films and documentaries that promote the rich cultural heritage of the Caribbean
The Madonna Murti
The Madonna Murti, is a documentary film about a black female statue at the La Divina Pastora Siparia RC Church in Trinidad and Tobago that is venerated by Catholics as the Virgin Mary and worshiped by Hindus as the black Hindu Goddess.
The Madonna Murti documentary film was produced in 2011 and re-edited in 2013.
This documentary features candid interviews with poojaris, pilgrims, pundits and priests as well as academic experts who have tried to understand her, artists who have tried to capture her illusive image and writers who have tried to tell her story.
The documentary utilizes narratives, drama, illustrations and song to tell the tale of a statue who offers health, hope, help and happiness to those who come to her most in need of it.
The celebrations at the La Divina Pastora Siparia RC Church in Trinidad and Tobago are very similar to those practiced at Our Lady of Vailankanni in India. This is also documented in the film.
For more details you can visit our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheMadonnaMurti
Producer: LRS Productions Limited
Screenings:
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) in September 2011
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the University of Trinidad and Tobago NAPA campus as part of the Research in Film Series in April 2012
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the India Diaspora Conference, St Vincent and the Grenadines in June 2012
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival in August 2013.
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the Fatima College Hall, Trinidad and Tobago in September 2013
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the 6th Louisville Festival of Film in October 2013.
- The Madonna Murti was screened at the 17th Conference on Catholic Theology in the Caribbean Today ( A Critical Appraisal of some Responses to the Madonna Murti Controversy and its Implications for the Hindu-Christian Dialogue) at Mount St. Benedict, Tunapuna, Trinidad in June 2014
Awards:
The Madonna Murti won the Best Shorts Competition Awards of Excellence (La Jolla, California) in September 2012 –http://www.bestshorts.net/
The Madonna Murti won the ‘Awards of Merit’ from Indie Fest in October 2013 – http://www.theindiefest.com
Publications:
“Religious Double Belonging” in Trinidad and Tobago
http://caribbeantheologytoday.net/20th-anniversary-conference/ –
Pilgrimage to La Divina Pastora
http://216.246.10.170/features/0,193552.html
‘La Divin’ pilgrims lead the way
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/letters/5154-the-ghost-of-henry-charles-nov-24?start=1
The Madonna Murti and the Great Commission
Of Statues and Murtis
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/viewpoint/5060-of-statues-and-murtis-oct-27
No other gods
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/viewpoint/5052-no-other-gods-oct-20
‘Mother’ not Kali
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/viewpoint/5051-mother-not-kali
That Statue in Siparia
http://indigenousreview.blogspot.com/2013/10/that-statue-in-siparia.html
A self-righteous attack
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/features/5019-a-self-righteous-attack-oct-13
A review of The Madonna Murti –part 1
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/features/5014-a-review-of-the-madonna-murti-oct-6?start=1
A review of The Madonna Murti –part 2
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/features/5014-a-review-of-the-madonna-murti-oct-6
‘La Divin’ in a new light
http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/frontpage/4990-la-divin-in-a-new-light-sep-29
Jesus Explosion: Revival Recap
http://jodorparish.blogspot.com/2013/09/jesus-explosion-revival-recap.html
What I watch
http://www.whatiwatch.net/reviews.php?rec=38443
Press Release:
http://publicitysupport.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/caribbean-film-the-madonna-murti-trinidad-tobago/
Video trailers:
The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire
This thought provoking documentary produced jointly by emerging Trinidadian-Nigerian filmmaker Oyetayo Raymond Ojoade and Nigerian criminologist Professor Onwubiko Agozino questions power and social control through exposing the central conflict between Euro-centric and Afro-centric religions.
This film exposes the schisms inherent in the unhappy marriage between the secular and the sacred, first offering a socio-historical context as it re-visits the 1917 – 1951 Prohibition Ordinance on the “Shouter” Baptist religion of Trinidad & Tobago but it goes further by daring to challenge laws that legislates against a belief system, questioning the real causes and the effects of such legislation both on members of the faith and the general public.
This film intertwines Christianity with African cultural practices, it juxtaposes Euro-centricism with Afro-centricism and it restores a voice to the voiceless in a film that is compellingly visual and profoundly enlightening.
For more details you can visit our Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/ShouterControlFreakEmpire
Producer: LRS Productions Limited
Screenings:
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) in September 2010
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the Portobello Film Festival, UK in September 2011
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the Montreal International Black Film Festival in September 2011
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the University of Trinidad and Tobago NAPA campus as part of the Research in Film Series in April 2012
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the Zuma International Film Festival, Nigeria in August 2012
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission, UK in August 2012
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the Caribbean Film Festival, Canada in March 2013
- The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire was screened at the CARIFESTA XI Film Festival, Suriname in August 2013
Awards:
The Shouters and the Control Freak Empire won the Best International Short Documentary at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival in 2011
Publications:
http://www.ttfilmfestival.com/2010/08/the-shouters-and-the-control-freak-empire/
http://www.okayafrica.com/news/shouters-the-control-freak-empire/
http://u.tt/index.php?articles=1&article_key=2215&for_internet=1
http://massliteracy.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-award-winning-documentary-shouters.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sunday-mix/Trini-gerian_Filmmaker_Makes_His_Mark-160927745.html
Video trailers:
