Artist Nation leads at Paris Lift-Off Film Festival

THE short film Artist Nation, directed by local filmmaker/director Nigel Thompson of The Nomad Picture Company (NPC), has been officially selected for the 2025 Paris Lift-Off Film Festival and is currently in the lead.

The film can be seen in the festival’s New Voices Shorts programme, a segment dedicated to showcasing bold and innovative talent from around the globe.

A media release said, Artist Nation, a powerful and evocative short, is a testament to the vibrant artistic spirit of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a 12-part series of which only one episode was submitted and is being showcased.

This particular episode features writer/photographer Kevin Browne. Artist Nation was also featured in the Film and Folklore Festival 2024, Caribbean Film Festival 2025 and Carifesta Film Showcase 2025.

The Paris Lift-Off Film Festival is a premier event known for celebrating independent filmmaking and providing a platform for artists to gain international exposure. Being chosen from a highly competitive pool of global submissions is a distinguished honour that recognises the film's artistic merit, narrative strength, and directorial vision. It also places a spotlight on TT’s creative potential and underscores the world-class quality of its storytellers, the release said.

“We are incredibly proud to represent TT in Paris,” said Thompson. “Artist Nation is a story deeply rooted in our culture and our passion for the arts. This selection is a victory for every local artist who strives to share their work with the world. It shows that our stories matter and that our voice is powerful.”

The success of films at the Paris Lift-Off Festival is driven by audience engagement. The public can view the New Voices Shorts programme, including Artist Nation, from anywhere in the world through the festival’s online platform. To watch the film and cast a vital vote of support:

1. Visit the Paris Lift-Off Film Festival official website.

2. Navigate to the New Voices Shorts category.

3. Purchase an online festival pass for US$12

4. Stream Artist Nation and cast your vote.

The festival scoring consists of two rounds:

Round one: Public round

During the festival, the programmes are reviewed by the judges and the attending public. Participants vote for their favourite along with three other films (voting forms can be found in the ticket e-mail sent to festival participants).

Round two: Network round

The voted 'audience choice' projects from each programme go to the Network Round alongside the judges' selections.

The Network Round is held on the Network Hub - the digital home for festival participants. Network members, official selections, and the festival jury judge the finalists in multiple creative areas.

The films with the highest overall scores win. Winners are awarded in their respective categories and are considered for a Lift-Off Season Award nomination.