BY: KAYLA KARIM
Make mistakes. Acknowledge them. Forgive yourself. Move on.
Frances-Anne Solomon has lived by that mantra and continues to have a “live large” perspective on life.
Being an award-winning filmmaker, Frances-Anne knows about hard work and dedication. Her accomplishments thus far have paved a path for many, especially Caribbean people.
Solomon was born in England to Trinidadian parents who moved back to her parent’s native land when she was nine years old. Growing up in the twin islands, she identifies herself as a proud export of the country.
She went to high school in the West Indies and moved to Canada to attend the University of Toronto for theatre, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts and English Literature. Following that, she started her professional life at the BBC in general production for radio and TV dramas in the late 1980’s.
While in Europe, Solomon continued to educate herself, earning a postgraduate degree in Radio Film and TV at the University of Bristol UK.
“The quality of content at the BBC was amazing,” she said when asked what she enjoyed most about her career in England.
Solomon continued to praise the network saying that the programs aired were not just for entertainment purposes; they were educational and thus, in her opinion, resulted in “broadcasting excellence.” She continued to work in various roles in broadcasting, including Executive Producer at the BBC for thirteen years before moving back to Canada in 2000. Some of her productions from the BBC include Love is the Devil by John Maybury and Speak Like A Child by John Akomfrah.
In addition to flourishing from a producer to executive producer while at the BBC, she is also a writer, director in film, TV, radio and news media. She began a production company called Leda Serene Films where she produced and directed films and television programs.
Since moving to Toronto in 2000, Solomon continued to be a universal and talented individual by writing, directing and creating her own projects. One of her more recent features, HERO, focuses on the life of one of the most decorated WWII veterans of West Indian descent, Ulric Cross. Solomon showcased the independence movements in Africa and the Caribbean as well as the rise of new black leaders around the world through the eyes of Cross during the Second World War and how significant he was in the process of African liberation. In an interview with CP24 this summer, Solomon expressed that Cross carved the reality of Caribbean people today. After being shot in Trinidad, England and Ghana and then completing post-production in Canada, she emphasized that it is a “global film”, similar to many Caribbean native’s stories.
The film was featured at the CaribbeanTales Film Festival, held in Toronto that promotes independent Caribbean films at the end of every summer, that Solomon founded in 2001. CaribbeanTales is a registered charity that strives to build a community in Canada with likeminded artists throughout the diaspora. Throughout the years, many short films, documentaries, and features have been submitted and awarded through the charity and film festival and are only continuing to grow and gain popularity.
Solomon was taught to create her own space in an early part of her life. When starting at the BBC, she mentioned that she had experienced forms of racism around her, and therefore was put into a position to develop a name for her self. She also shared that she believes she was a part of the independence generation where many, such as artists like her, were meant to take risks and become what they desired. She credits her mother, who was encouraging in the process of setting and achieving her goals to become the inspiring woman she is today.
Solomon is not only a role model for Caribbean women, but for every individual that strives to be successful, and most importantly, enjoy what they do every day of their life. She is driven to be an accurate storyteller for Caribbean people and to educate by sharing the truth through media. She wants youth to be confident and to manifest their dreams while being openhearted and generous.
Her best advice for the next generation? “There is nothing standing in your way but your own fears”.
