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Art that awakens the senses and inspires creativity.
Our theme this year — VOICES UNBOUND — celebrates artistic freedom, fearless storytelling, and the power of narrative to inspire transformation.
Through our staged readings, film screenings, workshops, and artist talks, we uplift Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora playwrights and filmmakers who defy convention, challenge cultural expectations, and expand the landscape of Caribbean heritage storytelling.
BLUELIGHT READING SERIES 2025 presents
About THE BUZZER
AMELIA and her longtime partner MATTHEW are applying to foster a kid. The Newark homeowners, though of color, are considered part of the gentrifying wave that's radically changing the city. They are reminded of this fact loudly and often by their sole tenant, OCTAVIA. The couple navigates the surprise of Amelia's ex, DAVIDA unexpectedly showing up to evaluate the couple's foster application. When young TALARIQ becomes AMELIA and MATTHEW’s foster son, the couple's collective and individual understandings of class, race/ethnicity, family, sexuality and love are strained and tested.
Language: English
THEMES EXPLORED:
class, race/ethnicity, family, sexuality and love
Cast: Alinca Hamilton, Vandit Bhatt,
Ashley Marie Ortiz, Tyreque Eyiah, Mala Wright
Q&A MODERATOR
Tanya Perez
Tanya is a Nuyorican firecracker of stage, screen, and page—delivers dark comedies with bite. Latinx theatre agitator, SAG-AFTRA/AEA member, DIEZ cofounder, and unapologetic clown, she turns truth into laughter and chaos into art. IG: @tanyaperezrulez
About SONS OF AN UNKNOWN FATHER
Sons of an Unknown Father tells the story of a fallen angel tasked with protecting the first Black saint of the Americas, Martin de Porres. Thrust into Lima, Peru, in the 1600s, this fallen angel encounters Martin as he discovers he has the power to heal people with his bare hands. As people come from far and wide to meet the man with the magic hands, our fallen angel must ensure Martin's ascension to the sainthood or risk a return to eternal damnation. As our fallen angel attempts to return home, we are asked to ponder, "Is it ever too late to be redeemed?"
Language: English & Spanish
THEMES EXPLORED:
Faith, fatherhood, family, redemption
Cast: Reynaldo Piniella, Tracey Conyer Lee,
Victoria Lino, Aja Mahogany, John J. Concado
Q&A MODERATOR:
Christin Eve Cato
Christin is a Bronx-born playwright with Puerto Rican and Jamaican roots, as well as a performer and dramaturg. Her recent NYC productions include Sancocho and The Diamond. She brings a powerful voice, rich experience, and deep commitment to elevating underrepresented stories.
IG: @itschristinevecato
csiff community screening at queens public library
On Thursday, September 18, 2025, we hosted a powerful evening of short films at our CSIFF Community Screening in partnership with Queens Public Library's Forest Hills Branch.
(This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program, a program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered by Flushing Town Hall.)
Films screened
Theme of the series: LOVE in the Caribbean Community❤
Films Featured:
"Noisy" – written & directed by Dominican heritage filmmaker Cedric Hill (CSIFF 2021 Best Film & Best Screenplay)
"Fuego" – written & directed by Puerto Rican heritage filmmaker Edwin Franko (CSIFF 2022 Best Screenwriter)
"Victorine" – directed by Haitian heritage filmmaker Lunise Cerin (CSIFF 2024 Award Nominee)
"Raíces" – directed by Puerto Rican?Dominican heritage filmmaker Misael Martínez Melo (CSIFF 2024 Award Nominee)
"See You Yesterday" – directed by Guyanese heritage filmmaker Stefon Bristol (CSIFF 2024 Best Student Short & Best Cinematographer)
Post screening artist chat
Featured Film Artists
Noisy – Cedric Hill (Dominican heritage director, 2024 Emmy nominee, Cannes winner, CSIFF21 winner)
See You Yesterday – Stefon Bristol (Guyanese heritage director, Netflix, Indie Spirit Award winner, CSIFF24 winner)
Fuego – Marc Reign (Puerto Rican, actor & storyteller)
🎤 Q&A Moderator: C. Truth – Haitian-heritage media personality, Thermal Soundwaves Podcast
CSIFF Community Screening at Black Spectrum Theatre
Our first of three CSIFF Community Screening Series events was presented in partnership with Black Spectrum Theatre on June 22nd .
About the films:
FAB 4 & THE SILENT RETREAT – A Short Film by Diane De La Haye 🇯🇲
Four spirited Caribbean women in their 40s—Diane, June, Rose, and Josie—embark on a journey to Nepal for a silent retreat, seeking peace and reflection. What unfolds is a heartfelt exploration of friendship, aging, and the unspoken challenges women face. This award-winning short film, directed by Peter Sagnia and shot in St. Maarten, is inspired by real-life experiences and showcases the strength of sisterhood.
MADAN SARA – A Documentary by Etant Dupain 🇭🇹
Madan Sara is a powerful documentary that shines a light on the resilient Haitian women who form the backbone of Haiti's informal economy. These women, known as Madan Sara, work tirelessly to buy, distribute, and sell food and other essentials in markets throughout the country. Despite facing intense hardship, social stigma, and a lack of government support, their efforts ensure a better life for generations to come.
UNSPOKEN – A Short Film by Danae Grandison 🇯🇲
Set against the backdrop of Kingston, Jamaica, Unspoken delves into the intertwined lives of two women—Caroline, a pregnant wife, and Icy, the live-in help. Bound by duty and burdened by unspoken truths, their relationship unravels amidst societal expectations and personal betrayals.
Adapted from Jennifer Grahame’s novel The Bed Head, this 12-minute drama explores themes of classism, gender dynamics, and the silent struggles many women endure.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program, a program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered by Flushing Town Hall.
CREATE YOUR SOLO SHOW WORKSHOP
This dynamic two-part workshop is designed to help you build or elevate your one-person show—whether you're just starting out or ready to take your script to the next level.
Led by award-winning solo performer Juliette Jeffers, you'll dive deep into storytelling, structure, and performance, gaining the tools & feedback.
our final 2025 Csiff COMMUNITY screenings
OCTOBER 16TH AT YORK COLLEGE
Presented by Conch Shell Productions in partnership with York College Performing & Fine Arts Department
Join us for an unforgettable evening of bold, pandemic-era cinema. Both films were created virtually during the height of COVID-19 using Zoom—yet they feature dynamic action shots and striking graphics that prove the power of storytelling is unstoppable.
📅 Thursday, October 16, 2025
5:00–7:30 PM Film Screening + Q&A
York College, CUNY
Academic Core Building
RM 3D-01
94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.
Jamaica, NY
Featured Films:
AFTERSHOCKS: A TETRALOGY OF OUR TIMES
written by Magaly Colimon-Christopher (Haitian heritage) & Juan Ramírez Jr. (Puerto Rican heritage); directed by Teisha Duncan (Jamaican heritage) & Pat Golden
A four-part cinematic narrative journey exploring how Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities navigate the “aftershocks” of COVID-19 pandemic—through resilience, imagination, love, laughter and hope.
(English w/Spanish subtitles)
ENTRE PUERTO RICO Y RICHMOND: WOMEN IN RESISTANCE SHALL NOT BE MOVED
written & directed by Alicia Díaz (Puerto Rican heritage)
Filmed in a historic tobacco warehouse, this bilingual dance film honors Black female stemmers and Puerto Rican anti-colonial activists as icons of resistance.
(Spanish w/English subtitles)
RISE UP
written & directed by Grace Stelk (Surinamese heritage)
A bird faces the centuries-old struggle for freedom while fighting for survival.
(Dutch w/English subtitles)
THE JILL OF THE TRADE
written & directed by Charysse Tia Harper (Trinidadian heritage)
A documentary that introduces five women who share their experiences of success and hardship in male-dominated professions, including one of the few female mayors in Afghanistan.
(Various languages w/English subtitles)
Following the screenings, stay for a live Q&A moderated by Proffes
FREE Admission
RSVP required to enter the college venue.
LIMITED STREET PARKING AVAILABLE.
Parking is available in York College's parking lot across from the venue for $10.
Oct 17th at King Manor Museum
Presented by Conch Shell Productions in partnership with King Manor Museum
Join us for an unforgettable evening of film, history, and community! Experience bold, thought-provoking short films by Caribbean heritage filmmakers exploring themes of identity, resilience, and heritage.
Friday, October 17, 2025
4:00 PM Tour of King Manor Museum's Jamaica|Jamaica Exhibit
5:00–7:00 PM Film Screening + Q&A
King Manor Museum,
150-03 Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica, NY
LOKO
written & directed by Angelina Villapiano (Puerto Rican)
A modern Latina city girl goes to extreme lengths to connect to her Indigenous island heritage.
SWEET RIND
written by JR Roache (Jamaican)
A tactically elite pastor’s daughter struggles with forgiving her sister’s killer while she delivers her brand of justice in her father’s unfinished church basement in Kingston, Jamaica.
I MARRIED A BLACK REPUBLICAN
written by Magaly Colimon-Christopher (Haitian heritage) directed by Pat Golden
It's November 3rd, 2020: As the nation waits to find out who will be the next president of the United States, Grace, a staunch Bajan American Democrat seeks her brother’s guidance as she struggles with the realization that her new groom is secretly - a Republican!
SINS OF THE FATHER
written & directed by Azriel Bahahoor (Trinidadian)
A priest has his devotion put to the test as he listens to the confession of an ex-convict, one who was incarcerated at a prison he visited years ago.
SEAT ARE LIMITED.
HURRY! RSVP.