Film Screening - Panomundo Part 1: The Evolution of the Steelpan

Join us for an event celebrating the evolution of the steelpan, with a film screening followed by a live steelpan performance.

Panomundo Part 1: The Evolution of the Steelpan

Slavery may have been the catalyst, but culture and passion formed this sound in Trinidad & Tobago. The steelpan (steel drum) can take the claim of being the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century. However, this sound not only moves people today, but it paralleled the island’s history of colonization and the demand for independence.

The first section of this two-part film highlights the precursors of the steelpan and the creation of the instrument until it gained international recognition in Britain in 1951. Interviews from steelpan legends, such as Ellie Mannette, Sterling Betancourt, Cliff Alexis and Ray Holman, are included.

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Director: Keith Musaman Morton

From Birmingham, UK, Keith Musaman Morton is an award-winning filmmaker who has always had strong interest in Black History Arts Culture and Literature, which was the inspiration of the inception of his production company KOMONOPROMO. He collaborated with Xplore the World's Charysse Tia Harper to create Panomundo, an award-winning two-part documentary about the history of the steelpan and its global influence. Keith travelled to Ghana in February 2022 to begin production on his next documentary, Homecoming, which tells the story of the Ghanaian government initiative (Project Joseph) to welcome descendants of slaves from around the world to live and work in Ghana. He will return to the country in January 2025 to start filming.

Producer: Charysse Tia Harper

Being a dual citizen of the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, Charysse Tia Harper has focused projects on her Trinidad culture: award-winning film, The Other Side of Carnival; T&T 50 in Fifteen and Panomundo Part 1: The Evolution of the Steelpan and Part 2: Pan Worldwide; and on her American identity: award-winning documentary, 12 Months, First Weekend February and Insurance: Putting Newark on the Map. She created Xplore the World in 2010 to further this mission. Amidst the Covid-19 lockdown, Charysse made The Jill of the Trade (2021), a documentary short that highlights women from around the world who work in male-dominated industries. She is in pre-production for Las Matadoras, a feature-length documentary about three female bullfighters. Charysse resides in London.

Steelpan Musician: Marlon Hibbert

Marlon is an aspiring Jazz musician, Educator and performer born in London, UK. With 15 years of experience performing in the UK, USA, Trinidad, Switzerland, Slovakia and more, he aims to continue to take the instrument around the world and demonstrate the artform.

Marlon regularly performs an array of music from all genres. Marlon is also the UK Pan Clash champion soloist 2018 & 19. Marlon arranged his first panorama in 2015 winning his first Junior Panorama with Endurance Steel Orchestra in 2018.

PART 1 ACCOLADES/SCREENINGS

Official selection

Carnival Screenings Notting Hill 2024 (London)
I Will Tell International Film Festival 2021 (London/Florida/Trinidad & Tobago)
Timehri Film Festival 2020 (Guyana)
Afrikans on Film Festival 2019 (London)
Portobello Film Festival 2019 (London)
CaribbeanLens International Film Festival 2018 (Los Angeles)
Timehri Film Festival 2018 (Guyana)
New York African Diaspora International Film Festival 2017 (New York)
Columbus Black International Film Festival 2017 (Ohio)
Miami Independent Film Festival - May 2017 edition (Florida)
The People's Film Festival 2017 (New York)
Trinidad and Tobago International Film Festival 2016 (Trinidad & Tobago)
Virginia PANFest 2016 (Virginia)
Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival 2016 (New York)

Awards
Honourable Mention – CaribbeanLens International Film Festival 2018
B Free Speech - George Stoney: B Informed 2017
B Artistic: Outstanding Program Feature/Segment 2017

Notable screenings

CNC 3 for International Steelpan Day 2023 (Trinidad & Tobago)
Khartoum Contemporary Art Center (Norway, June 2019)
OASIS Steel Orchestra (New Jersey, Mar. 2019)
African American Museum of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Mar. 2019)
TTT Limited (Trinidad & Tobago, Jan. and Feb. 2019)
Our Lady of the Parish (Pittsburgh, Oct. 2018)
Brooklyn Cultural Night (Brooklyn, June 2018)
Oberlin College (Ohio, Apr. 2018)

Host or Publisher Shoe Lane Library - City of London Libraries