The  12th annual CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) opens with a street party in Toronto on September 6 “celebrating the legacy, the people and the beauty of the Caribbean.”

According to a CTFF news release, “2017, Clinton Street at College Street in Toronto will be magically transformed with the sights and sounds of the Islands, co-hosted by the Consulate General for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. “

Among the international Caribbean stars of film and television at the party will be Music Superstar Machel Montano, whose documentary Machel Montano: Journey of a Soca King will open the Festival; actor Joseph Marcell (best known as “Geoffrey” the butler from Fresh Prince of Belair); Barbados’ soca queen Alison Hinds; Jamaica’s Sheldon Sheperd and Trinidad and Tobago’s Nickolai Salcedo .

As the street party winds down, fans will be welcomed at The Royal Cinema, 608 College Street, Toronto, to see two films: the world premiere of Battledream Chronicles and Machel Montano: Journey of Soca King.

The short film, Battledream Chronicles, is an Animation pilot voiced by Caribbean stars. It tells the story of Syanna, a young slave in a futuristic world where plantations are video games. She and her team of rebels must hack the system to gain their freedom. St. Lucian-British actor Joseph Marcell plays arch-villain Zeus Thunderking, while Jamaica’s queen of stage and screen Leonie Forbes voices Kerberia, the computer generated servant. Trinidad’s Nickolai Salcedo  plays the rapacious Torquemada, Barbadian soca music artist Alison Hinds plays Leto, Syanna’s mother, Jamaica’s Sheldon Shepherd  who is known for his lead role in Better Mus’ Come, plays the role of the charismatic Teacher. The central character of Syanna is played by talented Guyanese newcomer Nuriyyih Gerrard.

Machel Montano: Journey of Soca King chronicles Trinidadian soca artist Montano’s growth from a child star to his reign as the world’s Soca Monarch, collaborating with Grammy Award-winning songwriters and producers like Angela Hunte and Diplo.

At this year’s festival there will be 14 feature films and 30 short films, from 18 countries – all featuring stories centering on Carib