| Synopsis |
|
|
|
|
Sequins, Soca and Sweat is a documentary is an exploration into contrasts; traditional Masquerade costume techniques versus modern materials, striking costumes steeped in culture versus the decorated bikini costumes. The sparkle colour and music are the end result of hard work, personal sacrifice and dedication. Although finances are always tight, the richness of colour and generosity of spirit is always present. The film follows six 'Mas' camps in the weeks leading up to Notting Hill Carnival and captures the unique atmosphere of ‘camp life’.
With sunshine yellow walls scattered with photos of costumes of past years, the Noel family home is like a shrine to ‘Mas’. Lawrence Noel, who brought the first Mas band to the streets of Notting Hill in 1973, has pledged his life, home and family to the tradition of costume making. Although he no longer takes a costume band on the road he is creating a single costume this year, sharing their living room workshop with his son Roland, who is struggling to make a success out of his own costume band. With father and son forced to share the living room as a workspace, the changes taking place in the artform are played out in their home. Lawrence’s nimble, well-worn hands twist and shape costumes using wire. He is holding on to this traditional skill that threatens to be eclipsed by the more modern techniques, preferred by his son.
Whilst Lawrence and his family form the pivot of the film, we also pick up on the energy of camps from all over London as they prepare to take their costumes out on the streets of Notting Hill. We see the financial constraints as Martha Fevrier tries to make the food from an ad hoc barbecue stretch to feed all the kids in her camp. Kids who are just as hungry for the oasis her camp provides in what would otherwise be a long and uninspiring summer. Instead they proudly design and make their own works of art and are hard working and committed to a team that becomes like family. We see them rehearsing the dance routines tirelessly in the sun, in the camp and anywhere they can. Meanwhile at Mahogany camp Clary Salandy laments the birth of the scantily clad ‘Bikini Bands’, sad that the generations ‘coming up’ may mistake these costumes, shipped in and given out like takeaways, in paper bags, as all that carnival is. But Poison UK, one such ‘Bikini Band” are proud of the fact that they have an enormous and growing following. So whereas for Clary, carnival is about community and costume about evoking powerful forms infused with culture and meaning - to Poison UK, carnival is a party, so a bikini decorated with sequins and tassels is a costume. As we are with the bands running all the way up to carnival, we begin to realise the true depths of celebration that the bands are feeling as they finally put their show on the road. This is their story. Credits
Production Co-ordinator: Cherie Taylor
Produced and Directed by Stephen Rudder Bands Featured
Lawrence Noel/Trinibago Carnival Club |
