Frances-Anne Solomon
Frances-Anne Solomon (born 1966) is a Trinidadian-Canadian-British filmmaker, writer, producer, and entrepreneur.
Born in England of Trinidadian parents, she began her professional life at the BBC in England, where she built a successful career as a Producer first with BBC Radio then with BBC television drama.[1] She also produced and directed independent films through her company Leda Serene Films.
In 1999, she moved her company to Canada where she continued to write, direct, and produce films, television programs, theatre plays, and new media projects.[2]
In 2001, she founded CaribbeanTales, a non profit company producing educational multi-media projects based on Caribbean-heritage stories.
CaribbeanTales now includes annual Film Festivals and events in Toronto, Barbados, and other locations[3] and the Toronto-based CaribbeanTales Youth Film Festival.
In 2010, she founded CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution Inc, the first film distribution company in the English-speaking Caribbean.[4]
Early life
The granddaughter of Trinidad and Tobago politician Dr. Patrick Solomon,[5] she lived in many different countries, including Canada, the United States, Europe and Venezuela, before moving back to Trinidad at 9 years old. She attended the girls' "prestige" school, Bishop Anstey High School. She moved to Toronto, Canada and studied theatre at the University of Toronto's U.C.Playhouse, and poetry with Jay Macpherson. In 1986, she moved to England, to work for the BBC.
Career
What My Mother Told Me, a semi-autobiographical story of generational domestic violence in the context of a middle class Caribbean family.
Peggy Su! produced by BBC Films. Set in a Chinese laundry in Liverpool in the 60's, it remains one of the only British films to depict the lives of the Chinese in Britain.[6]
Lord Have Mercy produced with Claire Prieto and Vanz Chapman, was Canada's first multicultural sitcom, and starred Russell Peters alongside Caribbean stars Leonie Forbes and Dennis "Sprangalang" Hall.
A Winter Tale, CityTV 2007, depicts a Caribbean-Canadian community plagued by gun violence in Toronto.[7]
Filmography
- A Winter Tale, 2007, Feature Film - as Writer/Director, Producer.[8][9]
- LiteratureAlive, 2005-6, TV Series - as Creator, Producer, Director.
- Lord Have Mercy!, 2001-3, sitcom - as Director, Producer, Co-Creator, Co-writer.
- Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon, 1998, Feature Film - as Executive Producer
- Speak Like a Child, 1998, Feature Film - as Executive Producer
- Peggy Su!, 1997, Feature Film, as Director
- Sixth Happiness, 1997, Feature Film - as Executive Producer
- Flight, 1995, Television Movie, as Executive Producer
- What My Mother Told Me, 1996, Feature - as Writer/Director, Producer
- Siren Spirits, 1995, Mini-Series - as Creator, Series Producer.
- Bideshi, 1995, Short Film - as Director
- Reunion: West Indian Women at War, 1993, Documentary - as Writer/Director, Producer
- I Is a Long Memoried Woman, 1990, Documentary Feature - as Writer/Director.
Awards
I Is A Long Memoried Woman:
- Gold Award - Television performing Arts - New York International Film and TV Festival
- Best Feature - Sony Awards
- Prix Futura - Best Doumentary Feature
Reunion - West Indian Women At War:
- Prized Pieces Award- National Black Programming Consortium, US.
What My Mother Told Me:
- Producer's Award - Women of The Sun, US
- Best Film Portraying the Black Experience - Berlin Black Film Festival
Bideshi:
- Best Short Film - Bombay Film Festival
Peggy Su:
- BAFTA - Best Costume Design
Lord Have Mercy!:
- Gemini - Nomination, Best comedy Series (with Claire Prieto, Vanz Chapman)
- Gemini - Nomination, Best Actress for Leonie Forbes
A Winter Tale:
- Best Canadian Feature - ReelWorld Film Festival
- Audience Award, Best Feature - Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival
- Best Foreign Film - San Diego Black Film Festival
- Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Foreign Film - Lagos Film Festival
- Diaspora Award - Fespaco
References
- ^ Paddington, Bruce (1999-03), "Beating The System", Caribbean Beat, http://meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/archive/index.php?pid=6001&id=cb36-1-48
- ^ Davidson, Marcia (2003-04-01), "Frances-Anne Solomon Director of Lord Have Mercy", Jamaicans.com, http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/primeinterviews/0403_francessolomon.shtml
- ^ Cooke, Mel (2010-04-19), "CaribbeanTales Goes to NYU, Cannes", Jamaica Gleaner, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100419/ent/ent1.html
- ^ Pitt, Cherie (2010-05-25), "CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution Inc", LoveFM, http://love1041.ocmnet.net/love/Features/CaribbeanTalesDistribution.aspx
- ^ Trinidad and Tobago, National Library and Information Service Authority (1997-08-23), "Farewell to Dr. Solomon", Trinidad Express Newspapers, http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Biography/Patrick_Solomon.html
- ^ Pak, Ling Wan (2003-10), "Expressions of an Almost Hidden Community", BFI Screen Online, http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/475755/index.html
- ^ Mendes-Franco, Janine (2007-09-30), "A Winter Tale - Talking with Filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon", Global Voices, http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/09/30/trinidad-tobago-talking-with-filmmaker-frances-anne-solomon
- ^ Griffin, John (2007-09), "Stepping Up In A Time of Sorrow", Montreal Gazette, http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=703c9ac9-daa4-4c36-987d-eac8658e344f
- ^ Hatfield, Erin (2008-01), "Film Examines Poverty, Gun Crime", Inside Toronto, http://meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/archive/index.php?pid=6001&id=cb36-1-48
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Solomon, Frances Anne |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Director, Producer, entrepreneur |
| Date of birth |
28th June 1966 |
| Place of birth |
London, England |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|