The 9th edition of the Nouveaux Regards Film Festival (NRFF) wrapped up in Guadeloupe on 29 March. The results confirmed what the festival has been quietly proving for nearly a decade: Caribbean cinema is not waiting for anyone's permission to exist. The festival honoured filmmakers from Haiti, Guyana, Curaçao, Suriname, and Barbados as winners, a reminder of just how wide and varied the Caribbean creative landscape is.
The closing ceremony was held at the Sainte-Anne nautical base, where a traditional canoe's sail served as a cinema screen against the open sea — a unique setting for a film festival, but fitting for a Francophone region known for originality and revolution.
The Jury Prize for Best Documentary went to KOUTKETKOUT by Haiti's Joseph Hillel, while the Best Short Film prize for the French Antilles and Guiana category was claimed by GLORIA, directed by Guyanese filmmaker Marvin Yamb, who also swept the Audience Prize and the Youth Jury Award on the same night.
The Best Caribbean Short Film prize went to SUNNY by German Gruber Jr. of Curaçao, while Surinamese director Loëlle Monsanto's FORT BUKU took the Best Screenplay prize. Barbadian director Mary Cecilia Walker received a Special Jury Mention for THE ROADS WE TRAVEL.
Now in its ninth year, the Nouveaux Regards Film Festival has become one of the region's most significant showcases for short-form and documentary work, with an emphasis on emerging voices and first- and second-time filmmakers — precisely the tier of filmmaking that larger, more commercial festivals routinely overlook.
The 2026 edition presented 45 films from 20 countries, including 21 from the Caribbean and Guyana. The programme reflects a balance between international openness and regional roots, providing concrete visibility for Caribbean productions while encouraging exchange with other territories.
Since its creation in 2017, NRFF has established itself as a leading event for cinema in the Caribbean, dedicated to discovering new storytelling voices, emerging perspectives, and innovative formats.
Source: thebritishblacklist.co.uk