Filmmakers Howard Allen & Mitzi Allen of HAMAFilms, Antigua with Antigua & Barbuda Consul General of Janil Greenaway in Toronto at the recent North American launch of “The Skin”. Janil Greenaway starred in HAMA’s first feature film “The Sweetest Mango”, which was released in 2001. (Photo by Ryan Singh)

“I recently donated my copy of HAMAFilms “The Sweetest Mango” to the library in hopes of having it seen by a new audience,” said Brodie. “I think it’s essential that Bell Lightbox Film Reference Library features a copy of “The Sweetest Mango”. Not only is it the first feature film in Antigua, it’s also a beautifully executed film that reflects local life, climate and colour wrapped around an inspiring romance that actually happened. It has a human scale and intimacy that is so often lacking in modern romance films. “The Sweetest Mango” has a unique approach to life, its sunny, positive and life affirming but it doesn’t shy away from the ups and downs of love relationships and the pains and anxieties of finding your way in a new world. I congratulate Mitzi and Howard on “The Sweetest Mango” and hope to see many more of their films. Hopefully, set in Antigua!!”
Produced and directed by the husband and wife team of Howard and Mitzi Allen, “The Sweetest Mango” was released in February 2001. HAMA produced the film as a millennium project to mark Antigua’s entry into the 21st Century. The film, which has been screened at film festivals across the Caribbean and North America is a romantic comedy based on how the couple met and fell in love. It is not only the first feature film for Antigua & Barbuda but it is also the first indigenous film for the Eastern Caribbean.
Since its release HAMA has produced three other films, however “The Sweetest Mango” is slowly becoming a Caribbean classic and a model for independent filmmaking in the Caribbean.
The Film Reference Library is housed in the newly built “Lightbox” in downtown Toronto, home of the Toronto International Film Festival. The Library is free to the public and holds19,000 volumes; 65,000 film production files; more than 100 current magazines; 12,000 DVD, video and laserdisc titles and 6,000 soundtracks, which can be viewed, experienced and enjoyed on site.

The Skin is in good company with other amazing selections on the festival schedule such as the Jamaican films, Better Mus Come and Ghett’a Life, The Best of Animae Caribe out of Trinidad, Fire In Babylon, and Calypso Rose: Lioness in the Jungle.

Writer and Director of The Skin Howard Allen said “filmmaking as an art form is growing rapidly throughout the region and Trinidad is one of the pioneers we are proud to be included in this year’s selection of the best of Caribbean films.”
The Skin was one of the most anticipated films at this year’s CaribbeanTales Toronto Film Showcase 2011 and garnered rave reviews from those in attendance. It is scheduled for an encore screening at the Underground Cinema in Toronto on October 9.
A movie review written by Elizabeth Abbott has already made its way to the popular Huffingtonpost.com, in which she says The Skin will make audiences want to jump out of theirs.
“The Skin’s special effects are as sophisticated and otherworldly as the dialogue is simple and matter-of-fact. This is a triumph (among many) in a film produced for the stupendously low dollar figure of US $100,000,” Abbott writes. “The characters were ably acted by emerging Antiguan actors (Aisha Ralph as Lisa, Brent Simon as Michael) and renowned Jamaican actors Carl Bradshaw (Vision) and Peter Williams (Detective Morgan). Antiguan dancer and choreographer Veron Stoute Humphreys, who made a sensational acting debut as the soucayant, deserves special mention.”
“I wanted,” director Howard Allen explained, “to tell the story of Caribbean folklore and history as simply as possible, without recrimination and retribution.”
“The post-screening outpouring of applause and congratulations from audience members, men and women who jumped up and declared their pride in his achievements, were proof of his success. By juxtaposing a narrative that was a combination of thriller and supernatural drama, Allen has developed a confident, laconic cinematic style that speaks volumes to his passion and commitment.”
“The Skin was amazing. Mitzi and Howard you both deserve an award,” said Camille Selvon Abrahams of Animae Caribe, Trinidad. “Horror, humour a mixture of Caribbean accents based in beautiful Antigua. This film should be seen by all Caribbean Filmmakers. This genre has never been explored by Caribbean film makers so successfully.”
Actor Peter Williams, who plays the lecherous Detective Morgan in the film, got the chance to see the completed project in Toronto. “I waited a long time to see this movie and it was well worth the wait. I’m proud to have helped prepare Brent and Aisha for their star turns. Howard got the best out of them. This is a Caribbean film with a captivating storyline, consistent pacing, plenty laughs (both humorous and nervous) and performances to be proud of.”
The Skin will be shown at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival, Friday September 30 at 2pm at Movietowne. It is also scheduled to be at the International Black Film Festival in Nashville, Tennessee on October 6 and in New York this November.
You can catch behind the scene videos of their tour, photos from the premiere and read about the making of The Skin on the HAMAFilms Antigua Facebook page. Watch the movie trailer, see the behind the scenes video and read about the making of The Skin on http://theskinahamafilm.wordpress.com.

On the red carpet (L-R) actor Peter Williams, Bernice Moore Pinnell, producer Mitzi Allen, director Howard Allen, Gordon Pinnell at the Toronto premiere of The Skin . (Photo by Howard Queeley

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Amazing, Excellent and “Well Told” are some of the descriptive words coming out of Toronto after last Friday’s screening of the thriller The Skin by HAMAFilms Antigua.

The Skin was one of the most anticipated films at this year’s CaribbeanTales Toronto Film Showcase 2011. The red carpet premiere was co-hosted by the Consulate General of Antigua and Barbuda in Toronto Janil Greenaway and in attendance were members of the Caribbean community diplomatic corps, the Antigua and Barbuda Association along with actor Peter Williams and Jazz vocalist Charmain Bailey who wrote and performed the movie’s theme song “The Wrath”.

A movie review written by Elizabeth Abbott has already made its way to the popular Huffingtonpost.com, in which she says The Skin will make audiences want to jump out of theirs.

“The Skin’s special effects are as sophisticated and otherworldly as the dialogue is simple and matter-of-fact. This is a triumph (among many) in a film produced for the stupendously low dollar figure of US $100,000. It is also a tribute to Mitzi Allen’s producer’s genius, who ensured that every dollar earned by product placement, from rolls of Cottonelle in the bathroom to a whirlwind shopping spree and fashion show in Antiguan clothing shops, was stretched to gossamer thinness,” Abbott writes.

“The characters were ably acted by emerging Antiguan actors (Aisha Ralph as Lisa, Brent Simon as Michael) and renowned Jamaican actors Carl Bradshaw (Vision) and Peter Williams (Detective Morgan). Antiguan dancer and choreographer Veron Stoute Humphreys, who made a sensational acting debut as the soucayant, deserves special mention,” the reviewer notes.

“I wanted,” director Howard Allen explained, “to tell the story of Caribbean folklore and history as simply as possible, without recrimination and retribution.”

Antigua & Barbuda Consulate General Janil Greenaway greets the guests as they arrive at the reception. (Photo by Howard Queeley)

“The post-screening outpouring of applause and congratulations from audience members, men and women who jumped up and declared their pride in his achievements, were proof of his success. By juxtaposing a narrative that was a combination of thriller and supernatural drama, Allen has developed a confident, laconic cinematic style that speaks volumes to his passion and commitment.”

“The Skin was amazing. Mitzi and Howard you both deserve an award,” said Camille Selvon Abrahams of Animae Caribe, Trinidad. “Horror, humour a mixture of Caribbean accents based in beautiful Antigua. This film should be seen by all Caribbean Filmmakers. This genre has never been explored by Caribbean film makers so successfully.”

Cheston Beckford who was also at the Toronto screening wrote on Facebook it was a “super, excellent movie. Congrats on a great showing. Job well done by you and your team. Looking forward to many more movies from HAMA.”

Actor Peter Williams, who plays the lecherous Detective Morgan in the film, got the chance to see the completed project in Toronto. “I waited a long time to see this movie and it was well worth the wait. I’m proud to have helped prepare Brent and Aisha for their star turns. Howard got the best out of them,” he said.

“This is a Caribbean film with a captivating storyline, consistent pacing, plenty laughs (both humorous and nervous) and performances to be proud of. Certainly not out of place in Toronto at the same time as the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. This film will entertain wider audiences, mark my words. The Skin delighted the audience in Toronto on Friday night. I was proud to be associated with such an accomplished film.”

The Skin will be shown at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival, Friday September 30, with upcoming dates for the International Black Film Festival in Nashville, Tennessee and New York in October.

You can catch behind the scene videos of their tour, photos from the premiere and read about the making of The Skin on the HAMAFilms Antigua Facebook page. Watch the movie trailer, see the behind the scenes video and read about the making of The Skin on http://theskinahamafilm.wordpress.com.

The Skin

From the small, beach-blessed Caribbean island of Antigua comes The Skin, a full-length feature film screened at Toronto’s CaribbeanTales Film Festival as part of its North American/European-wide tour. The fourth film by husband-and-wife team Howard and Mitzi Allen, The Skin is a supernatural thriller steeped in Caribbean folkloric mysticism made doubly eerie by its seemingly normal setting in a fine villa in modern Antigua.

Plot-wise, paying that villa’s mortgage is young couple Lisa and Michael Fenton’s driving concern as the bank moves to foreclose on them. But despite Lisa’s determined efforts to raise money, even a yard sale of all their household belongings added to photographer Michael’s assignments, they always fall short.

Their luck changes (for the scarier!) when Michael happens upon a centuries-old vase buried deep in the ruins of Betty’s Hope, a former sugar estate. (Spoiler alert: he notices it while peeing in the woods after a photo shoot there.) Lisa scrubs the filthy vase clean, rinses out its disgusting and unidentifiable contents, and Michael sells it to Felix, an expatriate antique dealer, for enough money to acquit their mortgage and indulge in a clothes-shopping spree.

You can read the full review here…

Mitzi Benjamin-Allen, Executive Producer of The Skin

TORONTO, Canada – Former Canadian broadcast journalist Mitzi Benjamin premieres her feature film The Skin, in Toronto this week.
Benjamin the second half of HAMAFilms, a dynamic husband and wife filmmaking duo based in Antigua, are here for the red carpet premiere of their fourth feature film at the CaribbeanTales Film Showcase at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre this Friday.
Benjamin, now Allen, was the first black television news reporter on CFTO television in the 1980’s until she relocated to the islands of Antigua & Barbuda where she started her own film and television production company with her husband, Howard Allen, the film’s director.
The Skin, a supernatural thriller based on Caribbean mythology stars renowned Jamaican film star Carl Bradshaw, known for roles in iconic films such as The Harder They Come, Dance Hall Queen, and Third World Cop. The film also stars Canadian actor Peter Williams (A Winter Tale, Da Kink in My Hair and Stargate SG1) and UK actor Jeff Stewart (The Bill, Dead Man Running and True Horrors).
“I am really excited to be back home in Toronto, to share the film with the community that nurtured my love for the arts”, says Benjamin-Allen. “The Skin is an example of how our traditional stories can become Hollywood blockbusters.”
The Antigua & Barbuda Consulate will co-host a reception for the filmmakers on Friday, September 16th at Harbourfront Centre at 6 p.m. which will be followed by the screening at 7:30. A talkback session with the filmmakers will be held immediately after the screening.
The Skin premiered in Antigua & Barbuda in June and Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda, Hon. Baldwin Spencer, who has been following the duo’s work since their first feature, The Sweetest Mango in 2001, said, “The Skin has proven that HAMAFilms has come of age and is taking the country with it.”
Mitzi Benjamin-Allen who is also a facilitator in the Caribbean Tales incubator sessions during the Toronto Film Showcase is using the opportunity to share her experience as a filmmaker with emerging filmmakers.
The Caribbean Tales Film Showcase is in its sixth year and has proven to be an excellent platform to highlight Caribbean-Canadian creativity.
For tickets, the schedule and general information about the CaribbeanTales Film Showcase and Market Incubator, visit www.caribbeantales-events.com.
Watch the movie trailer, see the behind the scenes video and read about the making of The Skin on http://theskinahamafilm.wordpress.com.

Contact: Nerissa Golden, Publicist
Tel: 664-495-4420
Email: gmedia@trulycaribbean.net

Mitzi Allen, Executive Producer of The Skin

“I am really excited to be back home in Toronto, to share the film with the community that nurtured my love for the arts”, says Allen. “The Skin is an example of how our traditional stories can become Hollywood blockbusters.”
Mitzi Allen who is also a facilitator in the Caribbean Tales incubator sessions during the Toronto Film Showcase is using the opportunity to share her experience as a filmmaker with emerging filmmakers.
The Caribbean Tales Film Showcase is in its sixth year and has proven to be an excellent platform to highlight Caribbean-Canadian creativity.
Tickets for this gala event are available at the Harbourfront Centre box office at Queens Quay.
For tickets, the schedule and general information about the CaribbeanTales Film Showcase and Market Incubator, visit www.caribbeantales-events.com.
Watch the movie trailer, see the behind the scenes video and read about the making of The Skin on http://theskinahamafilm.wordpress.com.

Contact: Nerissa Golden, Publicist
Tel: 664-495-4420
Email: gmedia@trulycaribbean.net

(l to r) Nerissa Golden of goldenmedia Montserrat, Chief Minister Reuben T. Meade and Executive Producer of The Skin Mitzi Allen at the Montserrat Cultural Centre on Friday, July 8, 2011.

LITTLE BAY, Montserrat – Movie lovers on Montserrat got a rare treat this past weekend, when they were able to watch The Skin, a Caribbean thriller from HAMAFilms Antigua at The Montserrat Cultural Centre.

Since the evacuation of Plymouth, Montserrat has not had a full-fledged cinema, however the duo behind The Skin Howard and Mitzi Allen have made it their business to bring their new movie projects to the island.

“Montserrat has always been a special place for us, we spent our honeymoon here 19 years ago and Howard has Montserratian roots,” explained Mitzi Allen, who is the Executive Producer on film.  “We have always screened our films here, right after the Antigua & Barbuda release.”

It was “great to see a feature length film with Caribbean themes. Great filming, good actors, fun suspense,” said moviegoer Pamela Holley.

The Skin tells the tale of a young couple who unleash the terror of a soucayant after finding and selling an ancient artifact. The movie was filmed on location in Antigua & Barbuda and featured a star cast including Jamaican film icon Carl Bradshaw, Jeff Steward from the UK show The Bill and Peter Williams of Stargate SG-1 and A Winter Tale.

Chief Minister, the Hon. Reuben T. Meade attended the first screening on Friday night and remarked to the directors that he was pleased to see this level of work coming out of the Caribbean and more specifically the Eastern Caribbean. “It shows we can produce films of an international quality,” he said.

Other callers on the Saturday morning radio talk show remarked that the visual and audio effects had them jumping out of their seats.

“I was afraid to go home alone after watching it,” one young woman said. “It was enjoyable and really wonderful to be at the centre watching a Caribbean movie.”

“Showing The Skin in Montserrat surpassed our expectations in every way, from the facilities for the screening to the overwhelmingly positive response from the audience,” added Mitzi. “It is a great way to start a Caribbean tour.”

The couple is preparing to take this their fourth project to several upcoming Caribbean film festivals as well as to North America later this year.

Writer and director Howard Allen said “Sharing the film with the Montserratian audience was wonderful experience, their positive response is very encouraging and we would love to do it again soon.”

You can view the film’s trailer and read The Skin Diaries about the production on http://theskinahamafilm.wordpress.com.

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Stars of The Skin Carl Bradshaw and Aisha Ralph arrive at the premiere.

Fans line outside the Deluxe Cinema to see the stars arrive at the premiere.

Mitzi Allen and Howard Allen pose with their biggest fan.

View more photos on our Facebook fan page.