It is almost 30 years since a bloody coup in Grenada saw the assassination of the leader of the People’s Revolutionary Government, Maurice Bishop, along with his colleagues.
As that island readies itself to observe the 30th anniversary of the coup next month, director and producer Bruce Paddington has focused his lens on that island with ‘Forward Ever: The Killing of a Revolution’—a 2 1/2 hour long epic documentary, which highlights the revolutionary government of Grenada that came to power by a coup in 1979, and its demise with the bloody killings of October 19, 1983.
The documentary tells the story of the Grenada revolution as never before. ‘Forward Ever: The Killing of a Revolution’ 2013), is a feature length documentary (150 minutes) directed and produced by Paddington. It explores the achievements and shortcomings of the People’s Revolutionary Government (1979-1983) as it attempted to forge a new revolutionary society.
It focuses on the year 1983 through use of archival footage and first hand recollections of persons who witnessed the events of October 19; the execution of prime minister Bishop and his close colleagues whose bodies were never recovered. This was followed by the American invasion and over twenty years later the gradual release of the prisoners from jail.
The film, with it’s multiple perspectives and different narratives, explores this key event in the history of the Caribbean. The eloquence and passion of Maurice Bishop is apparent as he defends the revolution on such critical issues as human rights and the need for a true peoples’ democracy.
The film also includes excerpts from a feature address by George Lamming at a memorial service for Bishop in 1983 as well as the music of calypsonian Brother Valentino.
Paddington felt compelled to create this documentary. He was in Grenada just two months before the coup working on a documentary commissioned by United Nations on Science and Technology. He met with Jacqueline Creft, who was Grenada’s Minister of Education. Creft was killed alongside Bishop at the confrontation at Fort Rupert. At the time, Paddington was impressed with what he saw in Grenada. He described the island as a “different type of Grenada”.
“They wanted democracy. I had dinner with the Minister of Education Jacqueline Creft, and there seemed to be a type of feeling of hope and the building of a new society. The minister was confident and hopeful. She wanted to promote what was happening with Grenada. This was in August. There were major problems, but she wasn’t discussing the government. There was no threat of anything in the air. Two months after my meeting with Jacqueline Creft she was machine-gunned down. I was shocked to find out what happened,” Paddington said.
Three decades later, Paddington has completed the film, which he hopes will be a tool for healing and education. The world premiere of ‘Forward Ever: The Killing of a Revolution’ was screened at the University of the West Indies during the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival last week. (Excerpted from TT Express)
