CaribbeanTales International Film Festival Celebrates 20 Years of Caribbean Storytelling in Toronto

Toronto, ON – July 28, 2025 – The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), North America’s leading showcase for Caribbean and diaspora cinema, has announced its landmark 20th anniversary edition. The festival will run from September 3 to 13, 2025, in Toronto, with a virtual program accessible worldwide until October 3, 2025.

Under the theme “Resilience in Motion,” CTFF 2025 will present 49 films from over 15 countries, featuring premieres, retrospectives, talkbacks, and tributes. The milestone event highlights two decades of groundbreaking storytelling from Caribbean filmmakers and their global diaspora, reinforcing CTFF’s role in amplifying underrepresented voices in cinema.

Founded in 2006 by Frances-Anne Solomon, an award-winning filmmaker and advocate for diverse cinema, CTFF has grown into an internationally recognized platform. Over the past 20 years, the festival has screened more than 1,000 films, supported hundreds of creators, and reshaped how Caribbean narratives are represented on screen.

“This 20th anniversary is both a celebration and a call to action,” says Frances-Anne Solomon, Founder and Executive Director of CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG). “We look back on a generation of groundbreaking films and look ahead to a vibrant future where Caribbean stories continue to redefine the global cinematic landscape.”

Festival Highlights

• Opening Night Film: Bankie Banx: King of the Dune (Nara Garber, Anguilla/USA, 2024), featuring reggae icon Bankie Banx, Jimmy Buffet, Kevin Bacon, and Stephen “Cat” Coore of Third World.

• Closing Night Film: The Last Meal (Maryse Legagneur, Canada/DR, 2024).

• September 6: Honouring Our Legends – celebrating the 88th birthday of The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine at Harbourfront Centre Theatre, including the presentation of the Jean Augustine Excellence Award to Steelpan Ambassador Wendy Jones.

• September 7: Canadian premiere of Nomad in No Man’s Land (Hester Jonkhout, Netherlands/Curaçao, 2024), spotlighting pioneering director Felix de Rooy, an openly gay celebrated artist in the Caribbean.

• Virtual Festival: A global online platform offering access to CTFF films from September 3 to October 3, 2025.

CTFF continues to act as a launchpad for Caribbean filmmakers, bridging cultures and creating opportunities for their work to gain international recognition. The full festival lineup and ticket details will be announced on August 3, 2025, via the official website: www.caribbeantalesfestival.com.

For interviews, Festival Director Diana Webley is available to speak with radio, television, and digital media outlets.

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