Since its creation in 1996, the St Barth Film Festival has established itself as a significant cultural event on Saint-Barthélemy, offering a unique platform to highlight the richness and diversity of Caribbean cinema. Through its screenings, workshops and exchanges, the festival showcases authentic stories as well as the region’s emerging talents. The 28th edition, scheduled from April 30 to May 3, 2025, promises a complete immersion in the cinematic universe of the Caribbean.
Origins and mission of the St Barth Film Festival
A visionary initiative born in 1996
The St Barth Film Festival also known as “Cinéma Caraïbe”, was born of the ambitious idea of giving the inhabitants of this island in the French West Indies direct access to the region’s cinematic cultures. Founded by Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, Joshua Harrison, Rosemond Gréaux, Bénédicte Maudet and Rachel Kaufman, the project was conceived as a cultural link between Caribbean territories and other parts of the world.
From the very first edition, the public’s support confirmed that cinema was a genuine tool for cultural exchange. This recognition led the founders to make the event a long-term one, making the St Barth Film Festival an unmissable annual event on the local cultural scene.
A tribute to Caribbean cinema
The St Barth Film Festival is not just about showing films. It promotes cinema as a means of cultural expression, enabling the unique realities of Caribbean societies to be told. By showcasing talented filmmakers and works from diverse horizons, it plays an active role in strengthening regional cultural identities, while promoting dialogue with other areas.
A meeting place for filmmakers and audiences
The St Barth Film Festival is distinguished by the originality of its projection locations: the A.J.O.E. in Lorient, the Flamands beach, or the quays of the island. These unusual settings add a sensory dimension to the viewing of the works.
Imagine an open-air screening, your feet in the sand, lulled by the sound of the waves, watching a film that expresses a deep Caribbean experience. This atmosphere, unique to Saint-Barthélemy, is what makes this event so special.
Educational workshops for the younger generation
The St Barth Film Festival also plays a structuring educational role. Every year, it organizes workshops in schools across the island. These exchanges give pupils an introduction to cinematographic creation, and awaken their curiosity about an often little-known discipline.
The filmmakers present share their backgrounds and artistic approaches, offering young people a concrete vision of the filmmaking profession. These encounters are essential for building an enlightened public and, perhaps, sparking vocations.
Detailed program: an immersion in world cinema
The 28th edition of the St Barth Film Festival offers a demanding and varied selection of works from the Caribbean and other continents. Here’s an overview of the program:
Wednesday, April 30
- Discovering Bessie Coleman (Beth Powell) – Portrait of the first African-American woman aviator.
- Mama Sranan (Tessa Leuwsha) – A story about cultural identity in Suriname.
Thursday, May 1st
- Cyrille Régis: itinerary of a legend – Documentary on an iconic player.
- Magma (Cyprien Vial) – An introspective look at human complexity.
Friday, May 2nd
- Destins of Exile (Steve James) – Reflections on Caribbean migration.
- Fanon (Jean-Claude Barny) – A film portrait of the thinker Frantz Fanon.
Saturday, May 3rd
- Lisette Malidor: a universal artist (Pierre-Yves Hampartzmoumian) – Tribute to a great artistic figure.
- End of the Road (Dirk Braun) – Short film on environmental consequences.
- Adios Buenos Aires (German Kral) – Focus on Argentine culture through tango.
The pillars of the festival: Organizers and partners
The St Barth Film Festival is based on the cooperation of committed players. It is run by the Association Ciné St Barth with the support of the Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy, the Direction des Affaires Culturelles (DAC) de Guadeloupe, and the Comité Territorial de Tourisme.
Local organizations – hotels, restaurants, businesses – have also supported this initiative from the outset. Their involvement confirms the structuring role played by the festival in the island’s socio-cultural fabric.
A lasting impact on Caribbean culture
An international showcase for regional cinema
The St Barth Film Festival is a window on Caribbean cinema on an international scale. It attracts renowned directors, producers and actors, and contributes to the networking of professionals in the sector.
The discussions organized enable enriching confrontations of points of view, reinforcing the reach of Caribbean cinema in the global arena.
A promising future for the St Barth Film Festival
By combining cultural transmission, training, artistic creation and openness to the world, the St Barth Film Festival affirms its long-term vocation. Its 28th edition promises to be rich in emotion and reflection, while reaffirming its commitment to the dissemination of Caribbean cultural heritage.
