Trailer
Karen Martinez has written and directed a new 15-minute short film TRINIDAD REMAINS funded by the BFI with additional support for C15 and Film TT.
Shot in Trinidad, the film follows British-born Nikki Hastings as she reluctantly embarks on a road trip across the Caribbean island with her polar-opposite cousin, the freewheeling Jade, who carries them both in her unreliable old car, "Goldie". The uptight Nikki feels like a fish out of water in this strange new world and wonders why she bothered coming.The trip is jeopardised when the women become embroiled in an incident involving an unhinged man. This encounter is equal measure bizarre and disturbing and ends up shifting Nikki’s perspective and ultimately allows her to open up to the mysteries of the island. The women must put their differences aside and work together if they are to make their escape and reach their final destination…
Starring the British actress Leonie Elliot and featuring top Trinidad cast, Syntyche Bishop and Kevon Brooks, the film was co-produced with Tigerlily Productions (UK) and Imagine Media (Trinidad & Tobago).
It premiered be at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival in September 2023 and has since played at several other film festivals including:
Hairouna Film Festival (Grenadines) 2025
Nouveaux Regards Film Festival (Guadeloupe) 2025
British Shorts Berlin 2025
Bahamas International Film Festival 2024
Grenada Film Festival 2024
Caribbean Tales Film Festival (Toronto) 2024 (Winner: Comedy Award)
Caribbean Pop Up Cinema Festival (Birmingham UK) 2024
WO50 Film Festival (Lewes) 2024
Rapport Festival (London) 2024
Whirled Cineman (London) 2024
Pan African Film Festival (Los Angeles) 2024
London Short Film Festival 2024