Vigilante... The Crossing - PAFF.ORG 2015

The Cast of  the film, Vigilante...The Crossing..Step By Step Productions, Producer, Dave Weekes,
 Marcia Weekes, Director
(Photography by Yougnesse Williams)

Writer, Producer Dave Weekes, Director, Marcia Weekes
Vigilante...The Crossing

Barbados has arrived! Writer and Producer, Dave Weekes, director Marcia Weekes has propelled Bajan film-making in a tremendous way. Her fifth film Vigilante... The Crossing is a modern day tale of Robin Hood meets City of God!

The film chronicles the struggles of ex-con Dexter Gooding who makes a radical change from egocentric violent criminal to an island version of Shaft in order to help his community which is now plagued with nightly shootings, robbery, sexual assault, police brutality and political corruption. Yes... we have seen all of these things before in Caribbean films. However, the exhibition of racism and prejudice by a wealthy Caucasian family towards members of Dexter's community is something brand new for the audience to ponder. The film also does not shy away from taboo... rich white privileged girl meets handsome, big, black, gun-toting gangster and causes rich white family sleepless nights.

In addition to the wonderful acting from a very talented cast, I found it delightful to see Caucasian actors speaking with authentic Bajan accents. These accents were not acquired with the assistance of a dialect coach; the actors are official Bajans. Weekes delves into a topic that is not discussed or acknowledged in the Caribbean to the extent that it is in the United States. Weekes manifests room for much needed dialogue about race and class issues in the Caribbean, which ultimately are as destructive there as it is in the United States.

What I enjoyed most about the film was watching Dexter, a young man who enjoyed reigning terror in his community in the past  redeem himself by now picking up arms and putting his life on the line to defend this same community against the new ruthless crime boss and his henchmen. And though I would have loved to see some scenes in the film where the white sand beaches and pristine turquoise waters were featured, I respect Weekes' decision to have the audience view Barbados and the Caribbean in general as more than just a great spot to vacation, work on a fabulous tan and limbo on the dance floor of a swanky Americanized resort.

 In Vigilante...The Crossing, the people of the Caribbean were real characters with complex personalities, complicated relationships and souls. Weekes' film fills a void in an industry where many mainstream films shot in the Caribbean tend to feature Caucasian characters only and the people of the islands are just waiters, maids, valets, pretty ornaments wearing bikinis on the beach or simply invisible. Vigilante...The Crossing is adamant in giving the people of the island strength and a prominent voice!

The film was shot on location in Barbados in 26 days. The Bajan Board of Tourism was a strong supporter of the production. 13 members of the cast flew all the way from Barbados to Los Angeles for the world premiere of the film Vigilante and adorned the red carpet with Bajan style and wonderful accents. As a fellow Caribbean myself, I am proud to say, "Allyuh, Vigilante is de rell ting, man. Gwon see de movie at de Pan African Film Festival before it dun. If yuh doh see it, yuh go be rell sorry!"

Yougnesse Williams
Editor-At-Large

Photography by Yougnesse Williams

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