Canadian filmmaker, Frances-Anne Solomon, wins honorable award at Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles

BY SELINA McCALLUM

Canadian filmmaker and recently the feature for our Women Empowered section, Frances-Anne Solomon, received an award for her film HERO which showcased at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles.

HERO was awarded the newly created Ja’Net Feature Narrative Award, renamed in honor of PAFF co-founder, Ja’Net Dubois.  The well-loved actress and songwriter who sadly passed away unexpectedly during this year’s festival was best known for her role as Willona in the TV series, Good Times.

Solomon wrote, produced and directed the film. However, winning the award for the film is only part of what success means to her.

“HERO being awarded the Ja’Net Feature Narrative Award at PAFF, the opening night sold-out audience, the overflow room are all a part of the success, but what’s most meaningful to me is the reaction of filmgoers. The outpouring of emotion, the recounting of their own personal link to this history, the revelation of learning their own history and the role these Caribbean Pan Africanists played – that is the meaning of success for me,” said Solomon.

The filmmaker speaks about what kept her going through the fruition of HERO and its global tour.

“It’s an indescribable emotion and it is with the ancestors on my shoulders pushing me to tell this story to the world, that is what kept me going through the process and throughout this world tour,” said Solomon.

Solomon has been a filmmaker for the past three decades, winning multiple awards for her work in the past. The Ja’Net Feature Narrative Award is a milestone in her continued road to success, a road that wasn’t paved smoothly in the beginning, and still isn’t for many coloured women in film.

“When I first started there were many hurdles that I encountered, and some of them I still encounter today — being a black woman director on a set is not easy. But I hope that as my work continues to gain worldwide respect, so will the respect for my race and gender,” said Solomon.

In the recent Women Empowered article, Solomon spoke briefly about the inspiration behind HERO.

The film is inspired by the extraordinary life and times of Trinidad and Tobago citizen, diplomat and judge Ulric Cross, the most decorated West Indian of World War II.

Solomon spoke about how she was approached by her mother who informed her of Ulric Cross’s legacy.

Solomon’s mother’s friend, who pitched the idea to Solomon’s mom, was dying, but before he died, he said his last wish was to know that the film was going to be made.

“So, after his death, I got involved with my mother to do it. At the time, I didn’t know much about Ulric. I knew he served in the second world war, but when I began to research his life, I discovered that after the war he had this incredible life,” said the director of HERO.

An incredible life that has definitely touched audiences around the world. Solomon hopes for even greater success and exposure for HERO as it continues its world tour.

Solomon speaks about which global audience will be viewing HERO next.

“To date we have our international television launch planned for Cannes 2020, 5-week theatrical release in Trinidad and Tobago right afterwards in May. Our African launch is in Ghana in September, with screenings confirmed over the next few months in Bermuda, Martinique Barbados, New York, Washington, Barbados and Belize,” said Solomon.

Once the screenings have been completed internationally, Solomon will be looking into launching it on television and online for audiences who have not had a chance to see it yet.

Solomon’s next project that also entails keeping a part of black history alive is already in the works.

“I have a number of projects in development including just announced adaptation of Denham Jolly’s memoir InThe Black,” said Solomon.