Ian Harnarine – Writer/Director/Producer
Ian Harnarine was born in Toronto, Canada and is the son of immigrants from Trinidad. He attended York University earning a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Astronomy. Sticking with the sciences, Ian moved to Chicago where he received a Master’s degree in Nuclear Physics from the University of Illinois. Ian eventually became bored with research and decided to abandon the sciences, move to Brooklyn and become a filmmaker. He has since earned an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Film School. Ian is a faculty member in both the Physics Department & Graduate Film School at NYU, and is also a member of the National Board of Review. Currently, Ian is co-writing “Time Traveler” with Spike Lee and an adaptation of David Chariandy’s novel “Soucouyant”.
Spike Lee – Executive Producer
A two-time Academy Award nominee, Spike Lee revolutionized American independent cinema in the 1980s when his debut film, She’s Gotta Have It, earned the Prix de Jeunesse Award at the Cannes Film Festival. His landmark film, Do the Right Thing, was both a critical and commercial success for which he received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. He received his second for his powerful documentary film Four Little Girls. Spike has continued to release a series of highly acclaimed films, including Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, Clockers, He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Bamboozled, When the Levees Broke and the global box office smash, Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster .
Jason Harnarine – Producer
Jason Harnarine was born and raised in Central Trinidad. He studied Geography at The University of the West Indies, graduating in 2010. As part of his studies he visited remote parts of Trinidad, met with its Villagers and heard their stories. This experience had a profound effect on him. Doubles with Slight Pepper is his first film and brings an authentic perspective on contemporary Trinidad that is rarely seen in traditional media. Jason wants to bring these stories and others from his homeland to the world.
Ryan Silbert – Producer
Ryan Silbert is an independent filmmaker and founding partner of New York-based Toy Closet Films. His award-winning work has received an Oscar® and been recognized by Sundance, MoMa, Toronto, Telluride, Comic-Con, Tribeca Film Institute, HBO and the Berlinale. Recent producing credits include God of Love which was awarded the Academy Award® for Live Action Short Film and co-producer on Holy Rollers (Official Selection Sundance Film Festival; Deuville Film Festival) directed by Gotham Awards Winner for “Breakthrough Director” Kevin Asch and starring Academy Award® nominee Jesse Eisenberg (First Independent Pictures).
He is a Producer on the feature thriller The Girl is in Trouble Executive Produced by Spike Lee. He is in post on the verité documentary Without Shepherds that demystifies life in Pakistan. At Toy Closet he is in preproduction on an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon co-written by King and Romero. He is an MFA-candidate at New York University’s Graduate Film Program where he received a Craft Award for Excellence in Producing and received a BS from Cornell University where he currently serves on the Advisory Board. (follow @ryansilbert)
Spencer Kiernan – Director of Photography