Much of the original items can be sourced by going to Google and searching for either "Bajan Reporter and/or "Bridgetown Film Festival" and will be self-evident.
I believe many will tie in certain aspects of Caribbean cricketer Brian Lara's history to to the fictional Barbadian Alex "Nellie" Nelson as done by Andrew "Pilly" Pilgrim - Lara's erratic performance as judged by some or the allegations of his womanising, including the tempestuous relationship with a young white model...
However, there was a fair bit of spin on this googly from Alison Saunders-Franklyn, she changed the Lara apocrypha by adding a Rustem & Soarab dynamic with Eastenders' star Rudolph Walker who plays Nellie's father - unlike the Persian legend, Alison creates a note of redemption for this father and son to pursue. Alison Sealy-Smith played Nellie's mother, who showed there is still a sexual sizzle between herself and Nellie's dad - but her role as peacemaker seemed true for quite a few Barbadian mothers...
Nirmal Thani as the Indian coach Amir Misra is extremely convincing with his accent, and his disposition - having had the privilege of working with him years ago when we were both in radio, you rock, Nirmie-T! {his nickname in Barbadian radio} By far one of the best performances was Tony Thompson as Bishop Hinkson in the Sons Of God Apostolic Church when they were looking to exorcise poor Nellie, who was shocked and scared that the priest could see he was at a crossroads with evil - the power Tony reverberated at Granville's church, you'd swear he was a genuine Holy Roller! My other favorite character was Roodal, Nellie's partner in crime who can bowl but can't bat to save his life! Varia Williams as a sports reporter sexually discriminated against at the Nation {as in girls covering SPORTS?} was rather compelling and extremely plausible even in this day and age, even so far as why she was coerced into a career change! Jeanille Bonneterre as the Trini calypso gal was irritating and clinging from the start, making "Nellie" miss practice in St Lucia for her selfish whims and changing his ringtones to her songs - ooh! She was so cloying, you just wanted to do her bad - very well portrayed through good writing, good acting and good directing! Keith Simmons as Sir Hugo the chairman of the selectors was very downplayed from his usual dynamic demeanour. It definitely seemed that Super Centre's David Nielands took his role as Mace the evil bookie along the path usually travelled by Lawrence Micklewhite/Michael Caine.
It was good to watch a film and know you've actually been at some of the places you see! E.G: when "Nellie" was behind the City Centre Car Park late at night hoping to clear his name, not only was it recognisable, you could actually carve up pieces of the menace in that scene and stick it in the fridge for a late night fright another day! Another familiar place was actually rather ironic - this is the part of "Hit For Six!" when Andrew Pilgrim's protagonist sojourns over by the Inn Chambers law offices to refute implications of match-fixing (Inn Chambers was where Andrew as an attorney used to work not that long ago). Andrew's character had some of the odds in his favour - his team number was 66, the same as the year of our Independence! At the Bridgetown Film Festival organised in part by Mahmood Patel and advice given by Moussa Sene Absa (they also assisted with this Caribbean version of Lagaan), "Hit For Six" snagged Best Local Picture in addition to Jeanille Bonneterre holding Best Actress (she seemed a Supporting Act to me) while Richard Lannaman got Best Cinematography for the same feature.
I believe many will tie in certain aspects of Caribbean cricketer Brian Lara's history to to the fictional Barbadian Alex "Nellie" Nelson as done by Andrew "Pilly" Pilgrim - Lara's erratic performance as judged by some or the allegations of his womanising, including the tempestuous relationship with a young white model...
However, there was a fair bit of spin on this googly from Alison Saunders-Franklyn, she changed the Lara apocrypha by adding a Rustem & Soarab dynamic with Eastenders' star Rudolph Walker who plays Nellie's father - unlike the Persian legend, Alison creates a note of redemption for this father and son to pursue. Alison Sealy-Smith played Nellie's mother, who showed there is still a sexual sizzle between herself and Nellie's dad - but her role as peacemaker seemed true for quite a few Barbadian mothers...
Nirmal Thani as the Indian coach Amir Misra is extremely convincing with his accent, and his disposition - having had the privilege of working with him years ago when we were both in radio, you rock, Nirmie-T! {his nickname in Barbadian radio} By far one of the best performances was Tony Thompson as Bishop Hinkson in the Sons Of God Apostolic Church when they were looking to exorcise poor Nellie, who was shocked and scared that the priest could see he was at a crossroads with evil - the power Tony reverberated at Granville's church, you'd swear he was a genuine Holy Roller! My other favorite character was Roodal, Nellie's partner in crime who can bowl but can't bat to save his life! Varia Williams as a sports reporter sexually discriminated against at the Nation {as in girls covering SPORTS?} was rather compelling and extremely plausible even in this day and age, even so far as why she was coerced into a career change! Jeanille Bonneterre as the Trini calypso gal was irritating and clinging from the start, making "Nellie" miss practice in St Lucia for her selfish whims and changing his ringtones to her songs - ooh! She was so cloying, you just wanted to do her bad - very well portrayed through good writing, good acting and good directing! Keith Simmons as Sir Hugo the chairman of the selectors was very downplayed from his usual dynamic demeanour. It definitely seemed that Super Centre's David Nielands took his role as Mace the evil bookie along the path usually travelled by Lawrence Micklewhite/Michael Caine.
It was good to watch a film and know you've actually been at some of the places you see! E.G: when "Nellie" was behind the City Centre Car Park late at night hoping to clear his name, not only was it recognisable, you could actually carve up pieces of the menace in that scene and stick it in the fridge for a late night fright another day! Another familiar place was actually rather ironic - this is the part of "Hit For Six!" when Andrew Pilgrim's protagonist sojourns over by the Inn Chambers law offices to refute implications of match-fixing (Inn Chambers was where Andrew as an attorney used to work not that long ago). Andrew's character had some of the odds in his favour - his team number was 66, the same as the year of our Independence! At the Bridgetown Film Festival organised in part by Mahmood Patel and advice given by Moussa Sene Absa (they also assisted with this Caribbean version of Lagaan), "Hit For Six" snagged Best Local Picture in addition to Jeanille Bonneterre holding Best Actress (she seemed a Supporting Act to me) while Richard Lannaman got Best Cinematography for the same feature.
