Creative Caribbean by UNESCO Features SheCreates Lab Beneficiary at CARIFESTA XV
St. George’s, Grenada – September 1, 2025 – Emerging Trinidad & Tobago filmmaker Jadyn Roberts , a SheCreates Lab beneficiary, was selected through UNESCO’s Creative Caribbean initiative to present a special screening of The Crossing, co-created with Jamaican filmmaker Alicia Walker at CARIFESTA XV in Barbados. Presented by Mprojekts Creative Group, the SheCreates Caribbean Lab participated in the festival alongside regional grantees, marking a proud moment for women’s voices and cross-island storytelling.
Grantees of the Creative Caribbean initiative with UNESCO and partner agency representatives at CARIFESTA XV. Image courtesy of Jayden Roberts.
Roberts, nominated through the Lab under the Creative Caribbean program, represented the initiative at CARIFESTA XV. She co-wrote and co-directed The Crossing with Alicia Walker of Jamaica, working with an all-Grenadian cast and crew that included Sabrina Francis and René De Riggs.
“The SheCreates Caribbean Lab came at a time when I felt I had reached a bottleneck. It gave me the experience of co-writing and co-directing my own film, The Crossing. At just 20, I was able to represent not only myself but also a brand, an initiative, and a movement, an opportunity I deeply value with gratitude.” -Jayden Roberts
As part of the Creative Caribbean showcase at CARIFESTA’s Grand Market, SheCreates Caribbean Lab joined grantees from across the region in highlighting new works. The initiative, organized by UNESCO, CARICOM, and the University of the West Indies (UWI), with support from the European Union and the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), offered participants opportunities to build networks, meet investors, and gain regional and international visibility.
Co-directors Jadyn Roberts & Alicia Walker.
Within this framework, The Crossing received a special director’s cut screening at the Creative Caribbean booth, drawing strong interest from festival audiences and industry colleagues. The film will return to Grenada for its official premiere in November 2025, continuing the journey of projects developed during the Lab’s first year.
“Watching Jadyn present her film at CARIFESTA XV was a proud moment for the Lab — it underscored the importance of creating opportunities for women’s voices and cross-Caribbean storytelling to be seen and heard,” said Meschida Philip, Founder and Director of the SheCreates Caribbean Lab.
Mprojekts Creative Group produced the Crossing. The SheCreates Caribbean Lab was partially funded by the Creative Caribbean initiative, a joint action supported by UNESCO, CARICOM, UWI, OACPS, and the European Union.
