The party everyone's invited to—but nobody wants to clean up after.
The Other Side of Carnival (2010) is a 45-minute award-winning documentary that explores Carnival's social and economic impact on Trinidad & Tobago. With more than 60 interviews from professors, medical staff, police officers, government officials, students, tourists, every day locals and more, The Other Side of Carnival is able to highlight that while Carnival is an exciting occasion, it is a festival that creates turmoil, which is not widely visible...or is it just simply ignored? Known as "The Greatest Show on Earth", this documentary captures the roots of Carnival and how far some go to keep the original idea alive, and how others attempt to integrate change. Consummating over two years of research and interviews and with the coordination of a multi-national crew (Trinidad & Tobago, US and UK), The Other Side of Carnival does not pass judgment on Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago, but aims to bring an awareness of the type of influence that Carnival has on the population.
Direction
Harper lets contradictions breathe instead of forcing answers.
Production
Multi-national crew captures authentic voices, not tourist gloss.
Director
Charysse Tia Harper
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Trinidad Carnival emerged from 18th-century French colonial masquerade balls and enslaved Africans' Canboulay protests—making its modern commercial tension a 200-year argument.
Director Charysse Tia Harper was only 22 when production began, funding early shoots through university grants and sleeping on crew members' couches between interviews.
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