By Rae Wiltshire
On April 25th “Old Toy Train”, written by Kevin Garbaran, which I co-directed with him, was screened at the British High Commissioner’s residence. This is the second consecutive year that the High Commission has supported the work of the Georgetown Film Festival. On her Facebook page, Ambassador Jane Miller wrote, “The creative industries have huge economic potential… also important for highlighting important social issues.”
This is true and at the reception it was evident that this Non-Governmental Organisation is growing. Last year, the film “Eating Papaw on the Seashore” had an audience of just under 30. This year there were over 100 people present at the event. The gesture by High Commissioner Miller is commendable and it is clear that she is a big contributor and believer in the arts bringing about transformative change; by extension, so is the UK government.
This film holds significant cultural value, resonating emotionally not only with the crew members but also with their families, friends, and even those unaffiliated with the project. The official logline reads: “Evelyn takes her ailing father to his childhood home in the Guyanese countryside. She must confront a difficult decision that could strain familial bonds to their limits.” Tackling a universal theme, the film prompts introspection on choices many of us will inevitably encounter in our lives.
The film delves into the complex dynamics surrounding the care of ageing parents and the inevitable journey towards their death. This theme resonates universally and within Guyanese society, there are different opinions regarding the best course of action for adult children in such circumstances. Gossip often ensues among family members when decisions are perceived to be immoral, reflecting the reality that these choices are fraught with difficulty.
Lead actors Renita Doodnauth-Dindyal and Marisa Morgan were deeply moved by the narrative, each expressing a personal connection to the material. Doodnauth-Dindyal, speaking at the premiere, shared that the film provided her with a sense of peace regarding decisions she made for her father, who recently passed. Mean-while, Michael Khan, also known as ‘Ole Man Pappie’, revealed that the film prompted him to reconsider his lifestyle choices, and to strive to adopt healthier habits to avoid becoming a burden to his daughter.
Crew members, during the actors’ performances, became visibly emotional, prompting the boom operator to ask, “this thing based on a true story or wha?” While it wasn’t autobiographical for Garbaran, the truth is, it was inspired by a real-life narrative. Good stories often have that effect—people see themselves reflected in them. Quality art serves to remind us that our experiences are shared, alleviating the sense of isolation that can accompany difficult emotions and decisions. As a friend remarked to me, “Not you making a movie that is affecting both me and my girlfriend’s family.” He expressed surprise at how closely the story mirrored his own experiences, assuming the writer had lived through similar circumstances.
Effective writing stems from deep empathy and this film struck a chord with many viewers. Some were moved to tears, while others found it too similar to their own lives to watch. Beyond its role in highlighting social issues and economic gain, art also serves as a means to navigate life’s harsh realities, ageing is one of them.
The film also achieved something quite rare: it incorporated basilect creole in a manner that didn’t rely on portraying the characters as humorous or lacking in intelligence. Some Guyanese creatives reinforce this stereotype and use this language to reduce its speakers to caricatures devoid of emotional depth. However, this film challenged that notion.
One audience member at the premiere remarked on how refreshing it was to hear creole in a film, expressing a subconscious fatigue with hearing everyone’s voice except those of Guyanese. Incorporating our language in this way conveys strength and conviction—it asserts that our language is not only worthy but also capable of telling stories with serious subject matters. Basilect creole possesses all the characteristics of any other language, and its speakers are fully capable of expressing universal emotions. Many others commented on the authenticity of the creole.
The beauty of this all comes back to the importance of representation. People want to know that their lives matter and seeing themselves on screen helps to reaffirm this. Garbaran said something to me that I found profound, “It’s probably the first time in their life they saw people like themselves in a film like this. My grandparents, that is. I guess that’s why they mentioned that it connects back to their own life experiences.” His grandfather, Pertab Singh, worked at a cinema in Mahaicony and Garbaran said he would usually spend his August holidays there when he was younger. It is a memory he cherishes and he would often say that in his writing, his mind always moves back to childhood and this is what helps to inform his writing. So memory seems to be of profound importance to him.
Without giving away the plot of the film, there was a poignant moment where two of the characters were looking at old family members, reminiscing on past lives and preserving memories through photographs. Cinema helps to preserve the memories and culture of a people 24 frames per second. This film preserved a memory for Garbaran’s entire family; his parents, grandparents, and brother came to see a film he had written brought to life by creatives who fell in love with this story, and perhaps one of the most beautiful pictures of the night was captured by Joshua Macey; .his grandfather watching in awe at the work of his grandson. It is a new memory for Garbaran and his family and a photo that would not have been possible if he had not penned this film.
