Draft:Shari Petti
Trinidadian filmmaker, cinematographer, and educator
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shari Petti (born August 8) is a Trinidadian film director, cinematographer, photographer, and educator whose work explores Caribbean identity, culture, and history.[1] A Fulbright Scholar, she holds an MFA in Cinematography from Florida State University and dual BAs in Film Production and Film Studies from the University of the West Indies.[2] She is the founder and creative director of Scene Productions Limited (trading as Scene Presents), and a lecturer in Cinematography and Fundamentals of Film Production at UWI St. Augustine.[3]
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MFA Cinematography (Florida State University)
- Film director
- Cinematographer
- Photographer
- Educator
Shari Petti | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 8 Trinidad and Tobago |
| Education | BA Film Production, BA Film Studies (University of the West Indies) MFA Cinematography (Florida State University) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Sorf Hair (2017), Mas Prep (2020–), Fantastic Friday (2023), Just Iere (2025) |
| Awards | Fulbright Scholar; People's Choice Award TTFF; Caribbean Emerging Artist Award (Fresh Milk Barbados); 13× Caribbean ADDY Awards including Best of Show and Best of Online |
| Website | scenepresents |
Early life and education
Petti was born and raised in Morvant, Trinidad and Tobago. She attended Bishop Anstey High School in Port of Spain, where she developed an early interest in performance, appearing in regional television commercials and performing in theatre productions with the Trinidad Theatre Workshop and the DMAD Company. She completed undergraduate degrees in both Film Production and Film Studies at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus.[2] She was subsequently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue graduate study in the United States, completing her MFA in Cinematography at the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, which she entered in 2020 and graduated from in 2022.[3][4]
Career
Scene Productions Limited
In 2019, Petti founded Scene Productions Limited, a Trinidad-based multimedia production company operating under the name Scene Presents.[5] The company produces documentaries, narrative films, music videos, commercials, and branded content, with a focus on Caribbean and African diaspora storytelling. Clients have included BBC Storyworks, Arte, McCann, Digicel, and Bmobile, as well as artists such as Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin.[1][2]
Documentary work
Petti's 2017 documentary short Sorf Hair examines natural hair discrimination in Trinidad and Tobago. The film won the People's Choice Award for Best Documentary at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival and received Best Documentary Short nominations at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Nouveaux Regards Film Festival in Guadeloupe.[6][3] It has since screened widely at festivals, museums, and universities internationally.[2]
Her ongoing documentary series Mas Prep (2020–present) archives the behind-the-scenes labour and artistry of Trinidad's traditional Mas.[7] The series has screened to sold-out audiences at the South London Gallery and Oxford Brookes University, and at the Rio Cinema in London as part of the Mas+Movies screening series produced by Scene Presents.[8][9]
In 2024, Petti worked as cinematographer on an Arte documentary about sugar, and served as director and DP for BBC Storyworks' Pursuit of Wellness (filmed in St. Lucia).[1]
Narrative and experimental work
Petti's narrative short Fantastic Friday (2023) screened at the London Short Film Festival, CaribbeanTales Film Festival (Toronto), Oxford Brookes University, the Picturehouse, the Rio Cinema, and festivals across the Caribbean and Africa, including GATTFEST (Jamaica) and Timehri Film Festival (Guyana).[1][9]
Her experimental documentary project Caribbean Wo+Man in Space+Time investigates the relationship between geological forces and Caribbean identity, taking the 1902 Mount Pelée eruption in Martinique as a starting point. The work draws on Kamau Brathwaite's essay "Caribbean Man in Space and Time" and combines photography, video, and archival research across Martinique, France, and St. Lucia.[9] A work in progress, it was presented at Le Studio Lumina in Martinique in 2024.
In 2019, Petti served as cinematographer on All Around Us – Elsewheres Are Beginnings and Endings, a work by Christopher Cozier presented at the Sharjah Biennial 14.[10]
Her short film Daze (2021) screened at Screamfest (Los Angeles) and the Pan African Film Festival.[1]
Just Iere
Just Iere is a Caribbean drama series in development, directed by Petti and set within Port of Spain's music scene, centred on aspiring DJ Thandi.[5] The pilot episode screened to a sold-out 435-seat opening night at MovieTowne Trinidad, followed by a two-week theatrical run. The pilot also screened at Prevo Cinemall in Dominica and at the Casa del Cinema in Venice in April 2026 as part of the Mas+Movies programme.[11] Season 1, comprising six episodes, is in active development.
Mas+Movies
Petti is the founder and curator of Mas+Movies, a curated Caribbean carnival film screening programme presented internationally.[5] Editions have taken place at the Rio Cinema in London (2025), MovieTowne Trinidad (2026), Prevo Cinemall in Dominica (2026), and the Casa del Cinema in Venice (2026).[11]
Commercial and music video work
As a director, cinematographer, and creative director, Petti has helmed numerous advertising campaigns and music videos. Her work on Bmobile's Back to Bacchanal campaign earned the Best of Show and Best of Online at the 2024 Caribbean Advertising Federation Awards, contributing to a total of 13 Caribbean ADDY Awards.[1][3] The campaign also won Gold for Best Social Media Campaign and Best of Online at the District 4 American Advertising Awards (Florida), automatically qualifying for the national competition.[1] Other credits include the Machel Montano Fallen Fetters music video (2024), music videos for Mical Teja and the Freetown Collective, and TVCs for First Citizens Bank and Digicel.[1]
Residencies and fellowships
- Artist-in-Residence, Le Studio Lumina, Martinique (2024)[9]
- Artist-in-Residence, Oxford Brookes University, UK (2024)[9]
- Fellow, Caribbean Film Academy via the Third Horizon Film Festival, Miami[2]
- Fellow, One World Media, UK[1]
- Youth Delegate and Guest Speaker, International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage Along Silk Roads, China (2019)[3]
Recognition
- 2026 — Gold, Best Social Media Campaign and Best of Online at District 4 American Advertising Awards (Florida), qualifying for national competition[3][1]
- 2025 — Caribbean Emerging Artist Award, Fresh Milk Barbados[1]
- 2024 — 7× Caribbean ADDY Awards, including Best of Show and Best of Online — Back to Bacchanal (via McCann POS);
- 2023 — Silver ADDY for Cinematography — A Bmobile Christmas[3]
- 2020 — Fulbright Scholarship (USA)[2]
- 2018 — Best Documentary Short nominee — Sorf Hair, Pan African Film Festival (Los Angeles) and Nouveaux Regards Film Festival (Guadeloupe)[6]
- 2017 — People's Choice Award, Best Documentary — Sorf Hair, Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival[3][6]
- Judge, CBU Caribbean Media Awards (2024–present)[1]
- Programmer, New Media segment, Trinidad + Tobago Film Festival (2023)[5]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Sorf Hair | Director / Producer / DP / Editor | Short documentary; People's Choice Award, TTFF[6] |
| 2019 | All Around Us – Elsewheres Are Beginnings and Endings | Cinematographer | Christopher Cozier; Sharjah Biennial 14[10] |
| 2021 | Daze | Director / Writer | Short film; screened Screamfest LA, PAFF[1] |
| 2020– | Mas Prep | Director / DP | Docu-series; South London Gallery, Rio Cinema, Oxford Brookes[8][7] |
| 2023 | Fantastic Friday | Writer / Director / DP / Producer | Short film; London Short Film Festival, CaribbeanTales[1] |
| 2023 | Now That I Am a River | Co-Director / DP | Experimental video; Alice Yard, White Box Gallery NYC[1] |
| 2024 | Caribbean Wo+Man in Space+Time | Director / DP | Experimental documentary (work in progress)[9] |
| 2024 | Fallen Fetters | Producer | Music video; Machel Montano[1] |
| 2025 | Pursuit of Wellness | Director / DP | BBC Storyworks; filmed in St. Lucia[1] |
| 2025– | Just Iere | Director | Caribbean drama series; pilot screened MovieTowne TT, Venice, Dominica[5][11] |