The Silver Lining Foundation's (SLF) comprehensive sex education (CSE) project, My Maxi, has been nominated for Best Film As Decided by a Youth Jury and Best Trinidad and Tobago Film at the 2022 TT Film Festival.
Commissioned by the SLF as a part of its CSE? Say Less! campaign advocating for comprehensive sex education for all, My Maxi is a short narrative film that seeks to address the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people to encourage healthy discourse about diversity, inclusivity and sexual identity and build stronger familial relationships, the foundation said.
In a media release announcing the film's nomination the foundation's communications director, Earl AJ Edmund, said, “We have always envisioned that CSE will be accessible to everyone, regardless of circumstance and we are happy to have this short film be a part of that journey.”
The film tells the story of Marcus who is desirous of building a closer relationship with his parents. After a big revelation, things take an unparallelled turn with his father’s over-enthusiastic approach to his new relationship with his son. The short film is directed by Andrei J Pierre and stars Deborah Maillard, Sean Thompson, Andrew Friday, Joanna Elias, Curtis Bachan, Scott Marchack and Joel Bayley.
Commenting on the film's nomination, gender affairs director at the SLF Renelle White said in the release, “This short film was produced as part of our CSE advocacy campaign. Film is definitely a tool of activism and we hoped to reach and engage not only the youth but also parents. The fact that the film is nominated for Best TT film says a lot about how much the national landscape has evolved. A film with very clear LGBTQIA+ themes is nominated to represent TT, as the best. This is truly amazing to see and a big win for activists like SLF who have, along with other LGBTQIA+ organisations advocated for the community to have the same rights as others, for them to be valued and treated as equal citizens of TT.
"This is an amazing feat, one that we do not take lightly or for granted. We continue to do this for the www.silverliningtt.com | thesilverliningfoundation@gmail.com youth and we really hope that we will win the minds, hearts and the political will and commitment of policymakers, politicians and leaders to implement mandatory comprehensive sex education in all schools and educational facilities to create safer spaces.”
My Maxi will be screened on September 22 at 8 pm at MovieTowne Port of Spain (Screen 10) and on September 26 at 5.30 pm (Screen 9).
For more info about the film visit: www.ttfilmfestival.com/film/my-maxi
www.silverliningtt.com | thesilverliningfoundation@gmail.
To view SLF’s Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) resources: www.silverliningtt.com/learn
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