WAN PIPEL

The screening will be introduced by Jonathan Ali.

The first feature film from Suriname, Wan Pipel is a drama that beautifully captures the clash between modernity and tradition, between personal desires and societal norms. Roy, an Afro-Surinamese man, returns from studying in the Netherlands and has a cultural awakening. Rubia, an Indo-Surinamese woman who has also studied in Holland, is trying to balance her community’s expectations with her own dreams. Roy and Rubia begin a passionate affair which enrages both their families. Before long, Roy is confronted with a powerful reminder of the life he left behind in Europe. A heartfelt letter from Pim de la Parra to his newly independent country,Wan Pipel is a timeless exploration of love, identity, and the universal struggle to find one's place in the world. (JA)

Jonathan Ali is a film curator and writer based in London. He is director of programming at Third Horizon Film Festival, which centers the cinema of the Caribbean and its diaspora.