Slain farmer remembered in cocoa film

HAILED by many as the best in the world, Trinitario Cocoa has captured the attention of many worldwide, including German-born Denise Speck, co-director of Trinitario on the Edge, a short documentary sponsored by Angostura.

Trinitario cocoa is a hybrid of Criollo and Forestero cocoa varieties.

Partnering with local director Oliver Milne, Speck embarked on a journey that evolved from a prospective social media awareness campaign into a documentary that follows the journeys of local coca farmers, including the late Javed Omardeen.

The 33-year-old cocoa farmer was tragically shot and killed in a car near his home on March 14.

Layering candid voice-overs with richly textured images captured on 30mm analog film, the documentary takes viewers along the small film crew's journey. From San Antonio to Tamana and Talparo to Brasso Seco, the team's week-long filming journey captures the stories of the young, the old, the families and the sole labourers preserving local coca production.

“It was meant to be more human-centred to really give a sense of the characters of the cocoa farmers that we were engaging with, and tell their stories in a way that helped them get their plights and triumphs out there,” said Milne.

“We did not tell them what to do, we were just there recording what they would do in the field so it was very organic, very natural,” Speck told Newsday.

The film not only chronicles the rich history of Trinidad and Tobago’s coca industry, which was the world’s third largest producer of cocoa beans in the 1920s, but also chronicles the circumstances that have led to today’s decline. From labour shortages and disease to the effects of climate and price drops, the film's cast, including San Antonio Estate proprietor Richard De Verteuil, detailed their journeys, plights and passion for the pod.

“We didn’t want the film to be just an informative documentary. The core of the goal with our project was really to be more of a hook to put out there for the audience, for people to start asking questions like ‘What is the way forward? How can we build this industry?’

“Our end goal was if we could get one person who had an inclination towards agriculture to take that step and get involved in the industry, that’s what we hoped out of it,” said Milne.

Remembering Javed Omardeen

As the film's first private screening at Michi Coffee and Company, Port of Spain, on May 19 ended, there was a sombre mood as the beauty of his message and the pain of Omardeen's death hung heavy in the air.

In the film, he spoke about his passion for sustaining the ecosystem through organic, regenerative, sustainable farming.

“I’d describe it as farming that is trying to live in harmony with nature,” he said on screen.

Noting his passion for nature, farmer and cast member Martin Matthew described Omardeen as one of the country's most brilliant coca farmers.

“I think one of the best things we can do for him is to get more youths involved and to share what he has taught so many of us, as a friend and as a colleague. Because as an older person to Javed, I’ve learned so much from him.”

Speck reflected on how Omardeen's death changed what the film meant to her, the cast and the crew.

“Suddenly it’s as if we’re carrying the legacy of somebody. It’s as if it’s our responsibility to make sure that we’re a supportive element to the beauty that Javed speaks about.”

In an interview with Newsday on May 21, she described Omardeen, who she befriended in 2022 when she came to TT, as more than a friend but a spiritual teacher.

“He was always there if you needed him, being this ideal idea of what it means to be of service to your community.”

A future version of the film will be dedicated to Omardeen.