To date Bahamian filmmaker Kareem Mortimer has produced several documentaries and two feature-length films: Wind Jammers and Children of God. The latter was screened at the Miami International Film Festival in 2010 and was "a love story between a black Bahamian and a white Bahamian," dealing with "the humanity in us all, as opposed to having this overt agenda about how awful it may be for homosexuals in the Caribbean." So Mortimer has an established track record of addressing thorny social issues in his films and the project he is bringing to the 2012 CaribbeanTales Incubator Program is no exception.
Cargo is the story of an immigration officer named Kevin trying to pay off a debt by becoming a human smuggler, and the consequences of his choices on the lives of three immigrants. They are a Haitian-Bahamian man with no country to call home, a Cuban hustler, and a 17-year-old Haitian girl. "Cargo speaks to how far we are all willing to go to ensure a better life for ourselves and the people we love," Mortimer says. "It is specific to the Caribbean but applicable to audiences all over the world."
After completing his studies at the Miami International School of Art & Design, Mortimer went back to the Bahamas to apply his filmmaking skills to the telling of stories from his home region of which Cargo, his third feature film, is yet another manifestation. "CaribbeanTales is a pioneer in how it supports Caribbean films and its storytellers," Mortimer observes. "I am grateful to be a part of such a wonderful program that will help launch one of my most personal projects to date."
Be sure to follow CaribbeanTales 2012 at caribbeantales-events.com, Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute festival details. Go to Harbourfront Centre and click on the movie of your choice to purchase tickets.
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