Films screened included Sistagod, directed by Trinidadian filmmaker Yao Ramesar, and the documentary Calypso Dreams.
Guests that year included the Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas, director of the Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize-winning Silent Light, and Hilton Als, theatre critic for The New Yorker magazine.
The Festival opened with the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Chico & Rita, and recognised the 100th anniversary of the film industry in T&T with an exhibition, sponsored by bpTT.
The Festival's first lifetime achievement award was also handed out, to musician, actor and activist Harry Belafonte, and for the first time screenings were held at the historic Little Carib Theatre.
[6] More than 140 films were screened at the ttff/13,[7] with the jury prize for Best Narrative Feature going to Melaza, written and directed by Carlos Lechuga of Cuba.
[8] The ttff/13 also included a retrospective of some of the films of pioneering black-British filmmaker John Akomfrah,[9] while the New Media programme entered its third year, with Jamaican artist Olivia McGilchrist claiming top prize for her performance piece Native Girl.
In 2019, the Festival came under the care of the Filmmakers Collaborative of Trinidad and Tobago (FILMCO), and took place as part of the 2019 Carifesta event.
During the years 2020 to 2022, due to Covid-19 and resulting local 'lockdowns' on in-person activities, the Festival delved into livestreaming and online screenings.
These proved to be quite successful, and allowed the Festival to reach audience members of the Caribbean diaspora much more easily than years prior.