Frances-Anne Solomon’s HERO Returns Home as Official Selection and Opening Film at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival

World Premiere of the story of a young man from Trinidad whose life’s journey gave him a place on the world stage.

The highly anticipated World Premiere and Official Launch of Frances-Anne Solomon’s feature film, “Hero: Inspired by The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross,” will be as the Opening Film at Trinidad and Tobago’s prestigious Film Festival, on September 18, 2018 at NAPA, in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Republic Bank is the Title Sponsor for HERO — a Tall Caribbean Tale about a young man from Trinidad who, in 1941, leaves home to enlist in World War Two.  Miraculously, he survives the bloody carnage to become the RAF’s most decorated West Indian. Then his life takes another surprising turn and he finds himself at the centre of a remarkable historical moment.  Cross’ long life spanned key events of the 20th century and included the independence struggles of Africa and the Caribbean.
The international cast includes top screen stars from the Caribbean, the UK, Ghana and Canada including Trinidad’s Nickolai Salcedo in the lead role of Ulric Cross; Canada’s Peter Williams (Stargate-SG1); the UK’s Joseph Marcell, (Fresh Prince of Belair), Jimmy Akingbola (In The Long Run), Pippa Nixon (Panic), Fraser James (Resident Evil) and Eric Kofi Abrefa (Julie);  Ghanaian superstars John Dumelo and Adjetey Anang; and featuring cameos by well-known East Enders star Rudolph Walker and Nollywood star O.C. Ukeje.
Following the screening in Trinidad, Director Frances-Anne Solomon, Executive Producer Lisa Wickham and Nickolai Salcedo will be among those in attendance.
Ulric Cross (1917-2013) was a Trinidadian war hero, broadcaster, lawyer, judge and diplomat.  “The film draws on events in Ulric‘s life to recount a hitherto untold story of those Caribbean professionals who helped to liberate Africa from colonialism. Not only is the story inspired by his life, it recreates the dynamic and transformative times in which he lived. Because of Ulric’s significance as a diplomat and high-level government advisor during often turbulent times in post-independent Africa, many details of the role he played in these African countries had to be kept confidential — and this remains so today. Thus, several events have been extrapolated and dramatized,” said Frances-Anne Solomon, the film’s Director and Producer. “Ultimately, the story is about us, about who we are as Caribbean people, and as citizens of the world,”
The 100-minute feature film combines archive of the time with dramatizations inspired by events in Ulric Cross’ life, and was filmed over three years on location in Ghana, Great Britain and Canada, as well as in Trinidad & Tobago.
Sponsors and Partners supporting the film include Presenting Sponsor, Republic Bank, in association with Telefilm Canada, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, and Imagine Media International.
Source: Caribbean Posh, August 2018