It took one year to craft the story behind the three-part documentary series Duvone Stewart: The Man Behind The Music.
The first part, Year For Love, premeired at MovieTowne, Port of Spain on October 13.
Produced by Mark Loquan, the film navigates champion arranger, Tobago-born, Duvone Stewart’s pain, growth, and musical healing in the wake of a heartbreaking loss of a loved one to gun violence on Nelson Street in Port of Spain, back in 2018.
Part one concentrated on how Stewart pushed through the pain and channelled his energies to arranging Aaron "Voice" St Louis's Year For Love with bpRenegades, winning Panorama 2019. This historic win marked a triumphant return to glory for the Panorama champions, ending a 20-year title drought, and heralded a dominant streak since, with Stewart at the helm.
[caption id="attachment_1041371" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Duvone Stewart hugs Rebecca Belcon, a young steelpan fan, at the documentary premiere of Duvone Stewart: The Man Behind The Music. - Sarita Rampersad[/caption]
The premiere drew a diverse crowd – dedicated pan aficionados, skilled steelpan players, and residents of Nelson Street who were keen to witness the story told. Stewart's Tobagonian roots also attracted a sizeable Tobago contingent and dignitaries from the Tobago House of Assembly who made the journey expressly for the event. MovieTowne provided a free screen to facilitate a free admission to the premiere.
Loquan underscored the significance of this project, and emphasised the importance of themes like Year for Love, particularly in light of the pervasive crime issues in TT.
"I hope when you watch this, you are inspired, and hopefully, it touches you in some way emotionally. It certainly did for me as I listened to his story and witnessed the raw emotions on his balcony," Loquan said.
This masterfully-crafted documentary, the third in the Mark Loquan Music brand, continues its mission to curate and celebrate the people in the steelpan community. Under the A Better Tomorrow banner, the series seeks to uplift and inspire, providing an enriching narrative that extends beyond the realm of music.
[caption id="attachment_1041368" align="alignnone" width="1024"] From left, associate producer of The Man Behind the Music, Wendell Manwarren, executive producer Mark Loquan, Duvone Stewart, and director and producer Maria Nunes. - Sarita Rampersad[/caption]
During the live question and answer segment, Stewart offered poignant insights into his own physical transformation and emotional journey, shedding light on his remarkable 240-pound weight loss and the transformative impact of the Nelson Street tragedy on his life. The second and third parts of the documentary delve into Stewart's formative years on the sister isle, and other intimate aspects of his life. They explore the valuable lessons learned from poor decision-making, drug use, and running with the wrong crowd. Stewart also fervently called for a revival of steelpan music within the nation's school curriculum, underlining the importanc
