Renowned Director Ava DuVernay, The Equalizer’s Lorraine Toussaint and Celebrated Novelist Marlon James Join the Cross Continental Forum
All three are confirmed to take part in the 2nd annual Barbados conference focusing on Decolonizing Co-Production for Black Filmmakers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2025 (Toronto) - Three titans in directing, acting and writing - America’s Ava DuVernay, Trinidad-born Lorraine Toussaint and Jamaica’s Marlon James - respectively have signed on to participate in the 2nd Annual Cross Continental Forum (CCF) in Barbados from June 14th- 18th, 2025. Guyanese-born CCH Pounder, known for her roles in the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar and television series, NCIS: New Orleans will also be in attendance as she leads the Steering Group of the CCF, which is spearheaded by Canada’s CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG). “CCF is a crucial hub for global film and television collaborations, and I am delighted to welcome Ava, Lorraine and Marlon to join us for this landmark event,”said Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of CTMG and award-winning director as well as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “Each of them brings an extraordinary and unique perspective from our worldwide diaspora, enriching this platform with their talent and vision.”
Under the theme, Decolonizing Co-Production, this groundbreaking forum is supported by the
Canada Media Fund (CMF), Invest Barbados, British Film Institute (BFI),
the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill) and National Cultural Foundation Barbados. The aim is to stimulate co-productions between Black and global majority producers from Canada, the Caribbean, the UK, and Africa, and is poised to become an unmissable annual event for industry leaders, storytellers, and change-makers from around the world.
DuVernay, a two-time Emmy Award winner, Academy Award nominee, and founder of ARRAY - a multi-facetted film and social impact organization that includes ARRAY Releasing, ARRAY film works, and the ARRAY Creative Campus - will join the Forum for the Opening Night and will close out the CCF with a Masterclass open to the public. The Selma director will also be a celebrity jury member for the Big Pitch along with Toussaint, and has helmed a long list of television and film productions including the Oscar-nominated documentary 13th and Middle of Nowhere for which she won Best Director at Sundance.
Toussaint - also a producer and teacher, will offer her expertise as a mentor and will be at the Forum from beginning to end to support the participants. Known for her roles in Orange is The New Black for which she earned a Critics Choice TV Award for Best Supporting Actress, and recurring roles on Law and Order, Saving Grace and Fosters, she currently stars as Aunt Vi on the CBS hit drama, The Equalizer.
James, an award-winning author, he was the first Jamaican to take home the U.K’s most prestigious literary award, the 2015 Man Booker Prize for his novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings. He is the author of five novels and currently teaches literature at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota and is a faculty lecturer at St. Francis College. He most recently wrote the screenplay for the Netflix/Channel 4 series, Get Millie Black, which was shot in Jamaica. James will be a panelist at the forum, amplifying and sharing his insights, work and network with attendees.
CCF 2025 is currently accepting submissions from experienced producers , including Documentary, Feature Film, and TV Series producers from the UK, Canada, Africa, EU, and the Caribbean eager to participate in this transformative experience.
Submit your application HERE by March 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.
For inquiries and additional information, please contact: applications@ccf2025.com
CCH Pounder Headshot HERE and BIO
Lorraine Toussaint Headshot HERE Ava DuVernay Headshot HERE
For interviews with CCH Pounder and CCF organizers, Media Contact:
Fennella Bruce | 647.290.7610 | fennella@fkbmedia.com
Notes for Media Professionals
Interested in covering the CCF 2025? Media passes and resources will be available closer to the date. Contact: ccf@creatorsofcolour.com
About CaribbeanTales Media Group
CaribbeanTales Media Group is a multifaceted media organization dedicated to creating platforms and audiences for Caribbean and Diaspora-themed stories and talent globally. Founded and run by trailblazing producer/director/writer/entrepreneur Frances-Anne Solomon, its activities cover a pipeline of services from film and television productions, film festivals and industry events, community activities, training, to theatrical and online distribution.
CCF 2025 is a partnership between the CaribbeanTales Media Group and the Department of Creative and Performing Arts, UWI Cave Hill. It is supported by the Canada Media Fund, The British Film Institute, Invest Barbados, and the Mango Bay Group of Hotels, as well as many other international partners. CCF 2025 is brought to life by a distinguished Steering Committee, including Frances-Anne Solomon (CEO, CaribbeanTales Media Group), Andrew Millington (Head, Department of Creative and Performing Arts - UWI Cave Hill,), Guyanese-born actor and activist CCH Pounder (Avatar, The Shield, NCIS New Orleans), Cultural Industries Specialist Dr. Keith Nurse (Founding Chair, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, and president of COSTAAT), Zikethiwe Ngcobo (CEO, Fuzebox Entertainment, South Africa), businessman John Reid (Former CEO of FLOW Telecommunications, Caribbean and Latin America), Agnieszka Moody (Head of International Relations at British Film Institute), and International Event Producer Diana Webley (Director of Events, CaribbeanTales Media Group).