Mas Prep- Stick Fighter

"Mas Prep: Stick Fighter" documents the tradition of stick fighting in Trinidad and Tobago, which made the way to the island from West and Central Africa in the late 1700's early 1800's. Through the eyes of multiple stick fighting champion Selwyn John, who is born into a lineage of respected stick fighters, Selwyn serves as our guide to this ancient martial art that blends combat, music, and spiritual ritual.
The documentary explores the historical origins of Kalinda, tracing its roots to African martial arts brought by enslaved people and how it evolved as a form of resistance and cultural expression. Viewers witness the complete process of stick fighting preparation—from the harvesting of specific wood, to the crafting of the fighting sticks and the rhythmic battles accompanied by drums and chanting.

  • Shari Allysa Petti
    Director
    Sorf Hair, Fantastic Friday, Daze, Jump!,
  • Shari Allysa Petti
    Writer
    Sorf Hair, Fantastic Friday, Daze, Jump!,
  • Shari Allysa Petti
    Producer
    Sorf Hair, Fantastic Friday, Daze, Jump!,
  • Nadya Shah
    Producer
  • Selwyn John
    Key Cast
    "himself"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 11, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    20,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Trinidad and Tobago
  • Country of Filming:
    Trinidad and Tobago
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Shari Allysa Petti

Shari Petti, a film director, cinematographer, archivist and educator, is driven by a deep curiosity about the human experience and a desire to give voice to the underrepresented. Drawing from her Trinidadian heritage, Shari’s films explore the complexities of Caribbean identity, culture, and history. A Fulbright scholar with an MFA in Cinematography from Florida State University, Shari is adept at crafting documentaries, narrative films, experimental videos, commercials, music videos, and photographs. Her documentary series “Small Lime” (2016) provides an intimate, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of everyday Trinidadian youth, while her work on “Mas Prep”(2020-ongoing) explores the rich tradition of Trinidad’s carnival and screened at the South London Gallery. Her documentary “Sorf Hair,”(2017) was nominated for Best Documentary Short at the Pan African Film Festival and the Nouveaux Regard Film Festival, won People’s Choice for Best Documentary at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival. Shari’s narrative short film “Fantastic Friday” (2023), has screened in London, Canada and across the Caribbean. Shari also works in experimental video having collaborated with contemporary artist Christopher Cozier on “All around us – elsewheres are beginnings and endings” as a cinematographer for the 2019 Sharjah Biennial. Shari has been an artist in residence at Alice Yard in Trinidad, Oxford Brookes University, Le Studio Lumina Martinique, and recently completed a fellowship with the Caribbean Film Academy in Miami via The Third Horizon Film Festival. She currently teaches Cinematography at the University of the West Indies St. Augustine serves as founder and creative director of Scene Productions Limited (@scenepresents).

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