Emerging Caribbean women filmmakers Jadyn Roberts of Trinidad and Tobago and Alicia Walker of Jamaica will premiere their short film The Crossing in Grenada on 1 November 2025.
Produced by Mprojekts Creative Group during the SheCreates Caribbean Lab residency, the film was shot entirely in Grenada with an all-Grenadian cast and crew, and marks the acting debuts of Grenadian artists Sabrina Francis and René De Riggs.
Roberts, selected as a SheCreates Lab beneficiary, spent 2 weeks in Grenada in July with Walker to complete the project. Bringing celebrated artists like Francis and De Riggs into their first acting roles added depth to the production, while also drawing on Grenada’s cultural talent pool in new ways. The project engaged local crew across departments and underscored the island’s potential as a destination for film production.
In August, Roberts presented a special director’s cut of the film at CARIFESTA XV in Barbados, representing the Lab through UNESCO’s Creative Caribbean initiative. The showcase offered early regional visibility and positioned the project as an example of cross-Caribbean collaboration.
“The SheCreates Caribbean Lab came at a time when I felt I had reached a bottleneck. It gave me the experience of co-writing and co-directing my own film, The Crossing. At just 20, I was able to represent not only myself but also a brand, an initiative, and a movement, an opportunity I deeply value with gratitude,” said Roberts.
The CARIFESTA showcase, organised by UNESCO, Caricom, and The University of the West Indies (The UWI) with support from the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), connected grantees and beneficiaries of the Creative Caribbean initiative, including Roberts, with peers, investors, and industry colleagues across the region.
“Watching Jadyn present their film at CARIFESTA XV was a proud moment, and now, I’m excited they will be bringing The Crossing to Grenada for its premiere, which highlights what can happen when investors recognise the value of local and regional talent and infrastructure,” said Meschida Philip, Founder and Director of the SheCreates Caribbean Lab.
The SheCreates Caribbean Lab was partially funded by the Creative Caribbean initiative, supported by UNESCO, Caricom, The UWI, OACPS, and the European Union.
Details on the 1 November Grenada premiere will be shared soon via @1261filmfestival or www.1261filmfestival.com.
